MANILA – The UAAP Basketball Commissioner's Office has pledged to continue enhancing tournament operations for the second semester which will start on Jan. 19 with the high school boys’ and girls’ tournaments, and culminate with the 3x3 competition on the first week of May.

This, after significant enhancements were implemented during the first semester of UAAP Season 87, ensuring standardized officiating and efficient management across the men’s, women’s, and junior high school boys’ basketball tournaments.

“Our vision for the UAAP Commissioner’s Team is to ensure fairness, consistency, and excellence in every aspect of the league. By fostering collaboration, empowering our referees, and maintaining open communication with schools and coaches, we aim to uphold the highest standards of officiating and game management,” commissioner Xavier Nunag said in a news release on Wednesday.

Also in the UAAP Commissioner’s Team are lawyer Mariana Lopa (deputy commissioner for women), Marvin Bienvenida (deputy commissioner for juniors), Michael Villar (media head) and Lance Mandalano (deputy for operations).

"This team is dedicated to creating a level playing field where every athlete, coach, and fan can trust the integrity of the game," Nunag said.

Pre-season visits to member schools were also conducted, allowing student-athletes and coaches to be familiar with officiating standards ahead of the games, smoothing the transition from training to competition.

To maintain integrity and consistency, the commissioner’s office upheld its exclusive referee pool policy restricting UAAP referees to officiate only within the league.

This approach, combined with ongoing training and mentorship programs, ensured high officiating standards and alignment with the latest FIBA rules.

A rapid response system for addressing officiating queries and a rigorous post-game review process were retained to guarantee transparency and accountability, while standardized game procedures and clear disciplinary protocols continued to create a level playing field for all teams.

Meanwhile, Lopa underscored the focus on gender equality.

"Our role as the Commissioner’s Team was to set the standard: in the UAAP, equality is non-negotiable, and excellence knows no gender. We took proactive steps to recruit and train female game officials, ensuring they had opportunities to officiate at the highest collegiate level," she said.

"Our commitment to gender equality extended to assigning top referees across all divisions, including the women’s games, enhancing the quality of play and contributing to the renewed spotlight on women’s basketball. Today, progress is seeing a female game official walk into the arena and knowing that no one questions her belonging." (PNA)