In the Dawn’s Campus Forum athletes shared how the UE management is extending its hands to the athletes who are trying to adapt to the situation both in academics and sports in this time of pandemic.

“As a student-athlete, it’s been hard to adapt to this situation, virtual training for my sport, and online classes but UE helped me,” Men’s Fencing Jethro Delgado said.

The student-athletes are expressing their gratitude to their alma mater as it continued to provide them scholarships. 

Monthly allowances are also provided by UE, however, the processing took a lot more time than before resulting in its delay, according to the athletes.

“Para sa akin nagagapanan pa rin ng UE ang mga athletes dahil hindi pa rin nawawala ang scholarship namin. Sapat pa rin ang binibigay ng UE pagdating sa allowance pinaprocess pa dahil sa pandemic kaya na delay ng ilang months ang aming allowance pero okay lang naman ma-delay ang allowance basta ang scholarship namin ay hindi nabawasan,” Rodrigo Mashon Jr. from Men’s Taekwondo Team shared.

Although some of them are not receiving their allowances yet which they relied on as their source for their internet connectivity expenses and aired their concern.

“Wala kaming natatanggap na allowance galing sa school and hirap po kami sa ngayon, dahil hirap din po kami ngayon sa pera para pang-load sa online class,” said Men’s Football Paolo Alovera.

“Athletes who are living in rural areas can’t access the internet without a data connection. We have regular online training and online classes, and we can’t miss any of those. The financial burden is increasing, especially for those student-athletes who are just using mobile data,” according to Francis Louis Babon from the Men’s Volleyball Team.

“We don’t just strive to get a scholarship but to also help our family financially with the help of our school. It’s not the perfect time to delay allowances. It will never be fair,” he added.

UE student-athletes still thanked the school management for their aid in these trying times and tried to understand the changes in how the university treated them in this new normal setup.

They shared what the red warrior school of Recto taught them during the pandemic.

“UE taught me not to surrender from doing things that we want to master or improve at,” said Delgado.

“To balance being a student and an athlete at the same time, it’s not easy, especially during this time. Yet, UE taught me to help myself to learn, to rise, and never give up. I am grateful for the opportunity to be called a warrior and to be a student of UE,” Men’s Lawn Tennis Prince Bo Lastimosa expressed.