Two big rival universities encouraged their respective communities who are supporting a presidential candidate to wear pink during the coming basketball game for the UAAP Season 84 set Tuesday.
The announcement of Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) and De La Salle University (DLSU) was talked about online.
“On Tuesday, we wear pink. Fr. Bobby and Br. Bernie encourage Ateneans and Lasallians for Leni to wear pink during the coming Ateneo-La Salle game,” the post reads.
Pink is Vice President Leni Robredo‘s campaign color.
She is running for presidency against former Duterte spokesperson Ernesto Abella, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, labor leader Leody De Guzman, former defense chief Norberto Gonzales, Sen. Ping Lacson, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., businessman Faisal Mangondato, physician Jose Montemayor, and Sen. Manny Pacquiao.
Both AdMU and DLSU released the statements on their respective social media accounts.
Fr. Bobby refers to Fr. Bobby Yap, SJ, president of Ateneo, while Br. Bernie refers to Bro. Bernie Oca, FSC, president of La Salle.
The second basketball tournament between the two age-old rival universities is scheduled at 7 p.m. on April 12 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The country’s top collegiate league was forced to cancel the remainder of Season 82 and Season 83 at the beginning years of the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was still uncertainty about the future of sports events.
UAAP resumed the league in late March, kicking it off with men’s basketball games, one of the crowd’s favorite sports events.
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Meanwhile, the historic rivalry between the two universities reportedly started in 1939 when DLSU won against AdMU in a basketball game at the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It was the Green Archers’ first NCAA championship.
At that time, AdMU won five NCAA titles under its belt.
What Pinoys are saying
After the two rival universities encouraged Robredo’s supporters to wear pink clothing on Tuesday, members of the UAAP community took to social media to air their reactions.
Some claimed that the move is considered a “real unity” given their histories.
“A sample of True Unity… True pagkakaisa…” a Twitter user commented about the joint initiative.
“Now that’s true unity,” another online user wrote.
“In the face of uncertainty, this call for solidarity makes my blue heart proud. Setting aside ‘rivalry’ for the country. In this game, ‘di mahalaga ano final score dahil sa ating pinaglalaban, lahat tayo panalo! One Big Fight! Animo Pilipinas!” a different Filipino said.
Others said that they would continue to wear their school’s colors amid the encouragement.
“I’m wearing GREEN in support of DLSU, not any politician!” a Twitter user exclaimed.
Some Filipinos recalled another instance when the two universities had set aside their rivalry to express a political statement.
“Last time this happened was when both universities asked fans to wear black in protest of Marcos’s burial at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani. Not many participated. Interesting to see how this one plays out tomorrow,” another online user said.
In 2016, AdMU and DLSU encouraged their supporters to wear black instead of the school’s colors in a basketball match in UAAP Season 79.
The move was made to protest the burial of late Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and also oppose the extrajudicial killings under the then-new Duterte administration.
