AKO Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co yesterday called on concerned government agencies to formulate a drastic solution to address the growing culture of violence that has permeated collegiate basketball.

He issued the call in the aftermath of the brawl between players of the College of St. Benilde Blazers and Jose Rizal University’s John Amores last week.

The lawmaker said that sportsmanship is cultivated. Recruitment screening, training sessions on anger management, conflict resolution, and de-escalation intervention for players, coaches and game organizers are also needed, he said.

He promised to continue his organization’s grassroots sports program to search for more Filipino youth champions.

Co called on the Philippine Sports Commission, the basketball league associations, the Commission on Higher Education, the Departments of Education and of the Interior and Local Government to start working on systematic solutions that could be implemented in January 2023.

Such solutions should be implemented at the barangay level and in all schools nationwide, he said.