Solon wants foreigners banned on collegiate leagues

MANILA, Philippines — A party-list lawmaker is calling on the House of Representatives to “stop and prohibit” all schools from recruiting foreigners as players.

House Deputy Speaker and 1-Pacman party-list Rep. Mikee Romero filed on Monday a House resolution (House Resolution No. 388) urging the proper committee to ban the recruitment of “non-Filipino citizens and foreign imports” as players in collegiate and university leagues.

In his resolution, Romero noted that Philippine colleges and universities have been recruiting foreigner players “so as to give undue advantage” to their teams. This practice, he said, is “counter-productive” in the growth and development of Filipino athletes.

“Philippine colleges and universities who are in practice of recruiting and using non-Filipino and foreign import players are so engrossed in winning a championship for their schools that do not anymore recruit players locally and instead go to African and American countries to find imported players,” the resolution read.

The lawmaker also noted that the “last place finish” of Gilas Pilipinas “only shows the lack of homegrown talent.”

For this reason, Romero said it is “imperative” that the legislature enact the necessary measures that would stop and prohibit colleges and universities in recruiting foreigners to their teams.