Starting with the men’s basketball contests on Tuesday, April 5, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) has confirmed that spectators will be allowed back into the Mall of Asia Arena on a limited capacity basis.
To receive a discount, students are invited to purchase their tickets at MOA Arena beginning Saturday, April 2.
Only fully vaccinated people will be permitted into the venue, and spectators will be forced to show proof of vaccination upon admittance.
Health and safety precautions like mask-wearing and social separation are also in place inside the arena.
After meetings with the league’s biosecurity officials, the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), and the local government of Pasay City, UAAP president Emmanuel Calanog said that spectators would be let back into the arena.
“We accelerated the opening to a live audience with Alert Level 1 continuing in Metro Manila,” said Calanog.
“Our priority is the health and safety of our student athletes and minimizing the risks of COVID-19. After discussions with our health officers and putting a few additional protocols in place, we are ready to have fans back in the arena. The UAAP is a competition best experienced with students and alumni supporting their respective schools,” he added.
Fans now allowed to watch UAAP games in MOA Arena starting April 5
Meanwhile, Atty. Rene “Rebo” Saguisag, the UAAP’s executive director, hopes that the return of fans will be a significant step toward restoring normalcy in the league.
“While tournament officials, players, and staff are still in a bubble, having fans back in the stands is a significant step back to normalcy for the UAAP,” said Saguisag.
“We appreciate the sacrifices of individuals and the member schools in keeping their respective bubbles intact, which has led us to this point of having fans back in the stands.”
The UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball tournament’s first four-game days are staged without a live audience, including Saturday’s rivalry game between Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University.
The eight-member schools are Adamson University (AdU), Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), De La Salle University (DLSU), Far Eastern University (FEU), National University (NU), University of the East (UE), University of the Philippines Diliman (UP), and University of Santo Tomas (UST).
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