NCAA Season 96 hosting duties turned over

AMID the uncertainty brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the offseason National Collegiate Athletic Association ceremony of turning over hosting duties was successfully done this week.

Through the Viber app on Wednesday, members of the NCAA Policy Board approved Arellano University’s turnover of hosting duties to Colegio de San Juan Letran for Season 96 of the country’s longest collegiate league.

Arellano hosted Season 95, which was abruptly terminated in March as COVID-19 began to take its root in the country.

Affected events were indoor and beach volleyball and athletics.

As Season 96 host, Letran said it will try its best to hold a successful staging given the challenges that COVID-19 presents.

Letran, which is celebrating its quadrennial anniversary this year, also said that it is in the process of crafting guidelines to deal with the “new normal” to ensure the safety and health of students, officials and supporters.

Among the things the host is reportedly considering are holding simple rites to open the proceedings which could happen in September or October and limiting the season to just select events.

COVID-19 continues to be growing concern for the Philippines with confirmed cases numbering 11,618 as of this writing, with 2,251 recovering and 772 deaths. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo