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Thoughts on MASTS 2015: What happened in Pagadian, should stay in Pagadian...

The Mindanao Association of State Tertiary Schools (MASTS), formerly Mindanao Association of State Colleges and Universities Foundation, Inc. (MASCUF), has been founded with very noble causes of creating bonds and establishing excellence among the state universities and colleges (SUCs) through sports and socio-cultural competitions.

MASTS inculcates to its participants the value of sportsmanship, team work, camaraderie, and friendship. The different competitions and sporting events, likewise, hone students’ talents, skills, confidence, and wit. Also, this annual gathering helps promote the rich and colorful cultural landscape and weave the genuine identity of Mindanaoans. Finally, through MASTS, the fresh yet promising talents that remain hidden in the many corners of Mindanao – the Mindanao’s finest - will be properly represented in the national competitions (PASUC and SCUAA).

I have coached some of the socio-cultural competitions of MASTS, then MASCUF, for three years. Yes, I may be a novice to this gathering, but as always I have been a witness of the fusion of students’ emotions – pressure, excitement, optimism, and zeal. Of course, they get the chance to represent their respective universities, get to places they’ve never been, meet opponents who later become their friends, and get to know their own strengths and weaknesses. I personally have had a glimpse of students’ positive vibe regardless of the outcome of the events they are part of. However, for three years, I may be young and still inexperienced but I find the noble purposes of this organization quite a far cry to the moon, since I can’t help but notice some issues that beset each year.

Foremost, the institution who bids and wins the responsibility of hosting the MASTS Friendship Games is obliged to carry out their duties with utmost commitment to deliver quality in each event, and to establish honest, effective, and fair conduct of activities.

In order to achieve this, guidelines have to be thoroughly reviewed, presented, and agreed upon by all coaches and coordinators representing the different SUCs. Ambiguous statements and other queries should be crystallized ahead of the commencement of the different events. But more importantly, organizers have to establish an iron fist in the implementation of these guidelines. For instance, late comers for a particular event set on a particular time should be penalized, either through deduction of points and/or disqualification.

Organizer: Hindi po kasi dumating ang mga invited judges. Kaya po kumuha na lang kami ng mga kilala namin dito na puwede mag-judge.

Another step that organizers have to strive to achieve is the thorough selection of the panel of judges. Bringing quality could mean tapping other people who are considered experts in their field, people who are as much as possible not part of any of the participating SUCs. I believe getting judges who are either coaches or faculty of any of the participating SUCs gives room for biases and cheating, which eventually creates a cloud of doubt. Why do we hesitate getting professionals outside of MASTS as judges if this adds credibility to the outcome? After all, we need to get HONORABLE ADJUDICATORS who will help us select only the best representative of Mindanao. We don’t have to wonder now why it’s so difficult for Mindanao to bring home the bacon from PASUC because we failed to get the deserving winners… because of some people who love doing the magic tricks.

After the event, the 4^th and 5^th placers were declared. Two institutions tied for 3^rd place. The organizers decided to break the tie by looking at the scores. Because the other SUC scored lower, the other university was declared 3^rd; while the other one got no award whatsoever.

Organizer: Wala po kasi sa guidelines. Then na declare na ang 4^th and 5^th placers kaya po isa lang din po ang 3^rd placer.

Whatta logic!

After the pageant, a faculty from USM found out that Ms. USeP could have been part of the TOP 5, and would have the chance to answer the last question. But instead of Ms. USeP getting the 5^th spot, Ms. BSU was called even if the tabulation sheet says she ranked 9^th.

Perfect math!

After the essay competition, let us assume we never really won. But I wanted to still convince myself that there’s still fairness, so I asked for a copy of the tabulation sheet.

Organizer: I cannot give you a copy of the tabulation sheet.

I asked if I could at least take a photo of the paper he refused to show us.

Organizer: Hindi puwede maam.

Why be scared? I won’t bite.

Organizers have to make sure that tabulation is meticulously done. The tabulation committee should be independent and impartial, and of course, knowledgeable in the computation of scores and ranking of participants. Who would be proud to know that Mindanaoans do not know how to break a tie? Who would be proud of organizers who could not, or rather, refuse to provide a copy of the tabulation sheet? Again, if MASTS aims to select Mindanao’s excellent athletes and performers in sports, musical, and literary, establish TRANSPARENCY. Coaches will accept their defeat if only results are fairly and clearly tabulated and presented to them.

What happened in Pagadian…

People back in USeP were probably thinking we went on a vacation, but here it is. I am gladly telling you our experience.

The whole USeP team were very excited while on the road to the 2015 MASTS Friendship Game in Dao, Pagadian city in Zamboanga. The energy was in real high even after travelling for roughly 11 hours by land to Iligan, and then another 5 hours from Iligan to Pagadian. But to our surprise, we were welcomed by overpriced motorcycles; deplorable quarters with almost a hundred from USeP and one hundred more from another state college, installed with three-deck bunk beds, only two electric outlets, and not a single cooling appliance. Lighting became problematic for our literary representatives especially for quiz bowl, essay writing, and extemporaneous. At night we also have to race before 10 in the evening to take a bath, to pee, or comfort ourselves because they cut off water source from 10:00 pm to 3:00 am. Good thing is, we never had a fire accident. In the morning, we have to wait at the long queue of people, and for the pail to be filled with water from a slow dripping faucet.

But we managed to coexist with one another. We managed to consider everything normal and still be happy embracing each morning. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THE DEARTH OF RESOURCES IS A PERENNIAL PROBLEM OF SUCs IN THE COUNTRY.

We can certainly cope with the miserable conditions, or the filthy and limited cubicles in the bathroom, as well as the very limited supply of water because we are not born rich. But we certainly COULD NOT and WOULD NOT STOMACH INJUSTICES, CHEATING, and INEFFECACY.

In the hope of showcasing the true identity of Mindanaoans, being intelligent, talented, culturally rich, and creative, we established MASTS. We considered it our means to celebrate God’s endowment to Mindanao and its people.

MASTS Friendship Games is supposedly an avenue where participants acquire values like humility in victory, acceptance in defeat, giving importance to friendships, while harnessing their aptitude and skills. But if this becomes a ground for cheating, fraud, and deception, we are only training our youth to do the same, thus, making the concepts ‘FRIENDSHIP GAME’, ‘SPORTSMANSHIP’, and ‘CAMARADERIE’ hazy, unreal, and impossible to achieve. I wonder what sorts of people our students will be in the future if cheating is being normalized in the society.

My fervent prayer now is, hopefully we all learn from the Pagadian experience, and that hopefully what happened in Pagadian, stays ONLY in Pagadian.

MASTS is supposedly founded with the aspiration to establish and maintain excellence in all its member SUCs. For MASTS to really live up to this aspiration, forget the tradition of scheming and cheating. Coordinators and coaches should take tangible solutions to redeem its already impugned reputation. We all need to establish firm, just, and genuinely friendly competitions. Selfishness has to be obliterated. Instead, we all have to work hand and hand in order that participants will truly feel and see the real essence of MASTS Friendship Game. Shame on MASTS if all these questions remain unanswered, and all these cheating continue. Shame on all of us if we do not do anything to instigate change.

May the odds be forever on our favor!

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