Calls for stronger safety measures for student-athletes have intensified following the drowning of two Ateneo de Manila University athletes during a team-building activity in Aurora province.
Pinoy Workers Party-list Representative Karl Fernandez Legaspi, vice chair of the House Committee on Youth and Sports Development, urged the implementation of stricter safeguards in all school sports programs to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The fatalities were identified as Divine Adili and Rene Clert Baterbonia, both student-athletes of Ateneo who reportedly drowned during the off-campus activity.
Legaspi emphasized that the incident underscores the need to prioritize safety and protection alongside athletic development in youth sports programs.
Reports said Adili, a Nigerian national standing 6’10” and being groomed as a potential successor to former Ateneo star Ange Kouame, and Baterbonia, a 6’4” standout from Agusan del Sur and 2025 Palarong Pambansa MVP, were among the promising recruits of the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
Authorities and stakeholders are expected to review existing protocols for school-organized training and team-building activities in light of the incident.
