What CHED’s student-athletes protection memo means after Ateneo tragedy

AT A GLANCE - The tragic deaths of Ateneo basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili highlighted deficiencies in the university's athletic policies. - CHED's CMO No. 13 aims to regulate collegiate athletics and establish accountability among educational institutions, athletic associations, and stakeholders, emphasizing the protection and welfare of student-athletes. First of 2 parts After a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora, led to the deaths of Ateneo basketball players Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili on June 8, the tragedy exposed weaknesses in the university’s response, as well as gaps in its athletic policies and practices. But just a week before the incident, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was set to operationalize Republic Act No. 10676, otherwise known as the Student-Athletes Protection Act, which was signed into law by former president Benigno Aquino III in 2015. CHED’s Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 13, Series of 2026, signed on June 1, seeks to regulate collegiate athletic organizations. “CMO 13 was not cited in the tragic Ateneo incident because it was not released prior to June 8, but it was already done by March,” said Dr. Lorenzo Lorenzo, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) representative who helped draft the CMO. “[Crafting the CMO] took us around six to eight months and was not only participated in by the NCAA and UAAP, but also almost all athletic associations in the country,” added Lorenzo, who’s also the vice president for administration of Emilio Aguinaldo College. “We could say it was carefully studied, but it was quite unfortunate we were not able to use this measure during the incident.” Section 9 of the decade-old law mandated CHED to operationalize it through a memorandum order, but it took the agency almost 11 years to release one. “It is not a reaction to [the] Ateneo [tragedy]. Unfortunately, it was released late. Why? Of course, CHED had to go through many administrative procedures that’s quite complex,” Lorenzo said. The CMO notes that one of its objectives is to “strengthen accountability among HEls [higher education institutions], Athletic Associations, Student-Athletes, other individuals or organizations, and all concerned stakeholders.” Section 8 of the CMO also lists its scope, covering the student-athletes’ “activities, procedures, requirements, and processes,” whether “conducted on-campus or off-campus.” The deaths of Baterbonia and Adili sparked public outrage and prompted probes, not just by the Ateneo de Manila University and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), but also by the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and the Senate. Last August, the UAAP “perpetually banned” Ateneo men’s basketball coach Tab Baldwin and also indefinitely suspended team manager Epok Quimpo and several members of the coaching staff. The Department of Labor and Employment, meanwhile, slapped Ateneo and Baldwin a P4.9-million administrative fine as the American-Kiwi coach lacked proper work permits. “Very unfortunate, very tragic. We continue to mourn the loss of two lives. And it has derailed some of the best laid plans of mice and men, but nevertheless, we should not put the lives of Rene and Divine to waste,” said UAAP executive director Rebo Saguisag. “We have to learn from it and we have to tighten our protocols, our rules, to ensure that it does not happen again. And I believe that’s one way of honoring the lives of Rene and Divine.” Injury, death protocols NCAA basketball commissioner Rico Paolo Quicho said one of the salient points of CMO No. 13 is the “imposition of clear responsibilities” on schools, leagues, coaches, and administrators. “[The CMO] establishes a comprehensive legal framework that places student-athletes — not competitions — at the center of collegiate sports governance,” said Quicho. In sections 21 and 22, he noted, all public and private schools are “required to implement comprehensive student-athlete support systems,” including injury and death protocols, off-campus activity compliance, insurance coverage, and socio-emotional and mental health services. The memorandum also states that incidents must be reported to their respective schools and the CHED within 48 hours, and investigations and appropriate penalties must be conducted within a week. Findings must be submitted to the CHED within 15 days upon completion of the investigation. “These practices should be, I believe, primarily under the purview of each of the member schools under the in loco parentis (in the place of a parent) rule,” said Saguisag. “They’re the substitute parents while in their care. We, in the UAAP, are responsible during the games, and that is what we have been focusing on.” Lorenzo said the NCAA, in compliance with the memorandum, has already set plans to teach sports officials and athletes basic safety protocols. “What’s most important now is to ensure the safe competition environment. Right now, we’ve set a seminar on first aid; how to deliver first aid to players among referees and officials. So right then and there, they already know what to do,” he said. Lorenzo recalled a 2024 incident in NCAA men’s basketball when Lyceum basketball star JM Bravo had a convulsion on court following an accidental head collision. “If you remember, when he collapsed, nobody knew how to handle it right away,” Lorenzo said. “So now, we’ll have a seminar with the referees and the student-athletes. We’ll train them because the awareness and basic skills in first aid are important.” “Aside from that, we’ll continue to strengthen our advocacy not just on-season, but also during preseason and postseason — that when they join competitions or leagues, they should ensure the safety standards and protocols of the players,” he added. CHED said alongside the “protection and promotion of the rights and welfare” of student-athletes, the memorandum aims to address other issues in amateur leagues, including commercialization and exploitation. “The memorandum reflects a significant policy shift by emphasizing institutional accountability,” Quicho said. “Rather than placing the burden solely on student-athletes, it imposes affirmative duties on [higher educational institutions], athletic associations, coaches, administrators, and CHED itself to establish systems that promote academic success, physical and mental health, ethical sports governance, transparency, and effective grievance mechanisms,” he added. Quicho said among the CMO’s “strongest innovation is its detailed regulation against commercialization,” as well as “unethical recruitment and poaching” and “retaliatory actions” by schools against transferring student-athletes. CHED lists specific rules, mainly pointing out that “institutions bear primary responsibility for safeguarding student-athletes.” (To be concluded) – Rappler.com NEXT: Part 2 | No cars, no condos: CHED sets limits on student-athlete perks How does this make you feel?