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 4th and 5th placers were declared. Two
institutions tied for 3rd place. The organizers decided to break the
tie by looking at the scores. Because the other SUC scored lower, the other
university was declared 3rd; while the other one got no award
whatsoever.
Organizer:
Wala po kasi sa guidelines. Then na declare na ang 4th and 5th
placers kaya po isa lang din po ang 3rd 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 5th spot, Ms. BSU was called even if the
tabulation sheet says she ranked 9th.
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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