Defunct cheerdance squad still welcome to study in UC

THEY might have been removed from the schools’ program but members of the University of the Cordilleras (UC) cheerdance squad can still enjoy their scholarship, according to the university president.

UC president Ricardo Pama even assured the school is currently finding ways on how the disbanded cheer dance squad can still be part of several performing groups in the university.

“As far as the school is concerned, they can still stay and their scholarship will continue,” said Pama.

“We are currently developing programs where they can participate,” added the UC president.

Pama also reiterated their stand in removing the cheer dance squad from the school’s program is plainly based on the danger associated to it.

The Jaguars cheerdance squad staged an impressive performance to annex the 2011 National Cheerdance Championship, besting 22 other schools from all over the country and dethroning three-time champion Central Colleges of the Philippines.

“We cannot deny the fact that they have really showed their best but when you balance it with the danger associated with it, we don’t want them to end up maimed with broken legs or broken necks,” Pama said.

And with their bleak future ahead of them, the UC Jaguars cheer dance squad will no longer be in the regional finals of the National Cheerleading Competition all the way to the national championship.

Insiders from the university claimed the removal of the school’s cheerdance squad is part of a cost cutting measure by the school.

Sources from the school also underscored the removal of allowances by the athletes during games and even coaches were stripped of game allowances during competition.

“Sabi nila delikado, di dapat tangalin lahat ng sport kasi napipilayan din naman mga players kahit anung sport,” said a source from UC who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“I think ‘yung school, eh, nagtitpid kasi ‘yung mga allowance na dapat makuha ng mga players during competition, eh, tinagal din nila,” added the source. (Roderick Osis)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on August 16, 2011.