Sports: USLS, UniGames Signing MOA on July 6

University Games, (UniGames) and University of St. La Salle (USLS), the home of University Games will ink a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on July 6 in the holding of this year’s UniGames slated on October 22 to 28, 2012.

UniGames President Roger A. Banzuela said, he will sign the MOA with Bro. Ray B. Suplido, FSC, USLS President regarding the running of the annual collegiate sports competition. It will also start the countdown of the event. Banzuela added that he will invite Sandugo Executive Vice President Perry Doroja to also come to make the signing between the three of them.

Sandugo will be the main sponsor of this event and will be dubbed as "17th Sandugo-UniGames 2012". Banzuela said, Doroja was in Bacolod City last week to finalize the MOA between them as main sponsor.

This year’s sports competition and hosting of USLS will jibe with the university’s Diamond Jubilee 60th year celebration. University of St. La Salle is the home for UniGames which started in 1996 as a brainchild of the late Bro. Rolando Dizon, FSC. The last time it was held was in 2007.

Banzuela has sought admission of USLS administration to host last year’s event but the University begged off as some improvements have been taking place including the oval which was replaced by rubberized oval in time for this year’s competition. Instead, the event was hosted by Roxas City, Capiz.

Banzuela added that hosting of events by USLS could minimize rentals of venues and would be accessible to all delegations. It is the center of transportation and lots of hotels and other billeting centers.

Sixteen sports events will be contested, despite the scrapping of softball. However, it was replaced by karatedo, more popular than softball.

The Technical Committee is also studying the inclusion of Mountain Run from Bacolod City to Mambukal Resort as part of Sandugo-UniGames sports tourism project supported by the provincial government of Negros Occidental.

More than 50 colleges and universities in the country are expected to participate as invitations have been readied by the Technical Committee.

University of St. la Salle Lady Stingers reclaimed the women’s volleyball title when the competition was held in Roxas City, Capiz. West Negros University Mustangs settled for silver in men’s basketball won by Ateneo de Manila University, while University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos football team lost to De la Salle University for the title.

Far Eastern University ruled the men and women’s athletics, men’s volleyball, women’s football, and women’s chess, while University of the East dominated the men and women’s badminton.

DLSU also topped women’s lawn tennis while placing second in men’s side. San Beda took the gold in men and women’s swimming and men’s table tennis, while College of St. Benilde was unbeatable in both divisions in taekwondo.

Rizal Technological University ruled sepak takraw and women’s softball, while National University was ruled the men’s lawn tennis.

UniGames was acknowledged by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) as the only collegiate sports competition participated by both public and private colleges and universities.*