Private Schools Athletic Association

The Private Schools Athletic Association was organized on February 17, 1953 through the initiative of the Director of the Bureau of Private Schools, Dr. Manuel Carreon, who encouraged the private schools all over the Philippines to join the PRISAA for the purpose of promoting sports and academic competitions.

PRISAA envisions to serve as the venue of sports, academic, and cultural development on the Filipino youth who are expecting to bring pride honor and prestige to the country.

It is an organization committed to harness the potentials of the youth for excellence in sports, academic, and cultural activities for a competitive and strengthened republic.

History

The Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) was organized on February 17, 1953 through the initiative of the Director of the Bureau of Private Schools, Dr. Manuel Carreon, who encouraged the private schools all over the Philippines to join the PRISAA for the purpose of promoting sports and academic competitions. The first PRISAA Meet was held on March 8-10, 1953 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, in front of Harrison Park in Malate, Manila. The events participated in by the different regions included basketball, chess, cycling, football, gymnastics, lawn tennis, softball, swimming, table tennis, track-and-field, and volleyball. The sports conducted were those officially recognized by the Southeast Asian Games and the Olympic Federation.

Starting 1956, the Annual PRISAA Meets were held in the different cities and provinces throughout the country. The PRISAA became the source of inspiration and pride among the students, faculty and the viewing public. It developed several outstanding athletes who represented our country in international competitions. Among them were Josephine dela Viña of Cebu, a noted shot put and discuss throw athlete and Mona Soliman of Mindanao, a renowned sprinter.

The last Annual PRISAA Meet was held in 1972 at the PAGLAUM Sports Complex in Bacolod City. It was suspended in 1973 to experiment on the integration of sports competitions for both public and private schools including the out-of-school youth.

On July 2, 1990, sports leaders representing fourteen (14) regions of the Philippines were invited to attend an organization meeting at the Centro Escolar University (CEU) to revive the PRISAA. This was sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) spearheaded by Chairman Cecilio G. Hechanova assisted by Commissioner Anthony R. Nicanor. On the same occasion, the election of the National PRISAA Officers for the school year 1990-1991 was also held where Dr. Emmanuel Y. Angeles was elected National President. As unanimously agreed upon, the election of PRISAA Regional Presidents was held in August and September 1990.

Shortly thereafter, PRISAA was organized in the different cities, provinces and regions. On September 13, 1990, DECS Order No. 104 was issued by then Education Secretary Isidro D. Cariño directing all DECS Regional Directors and heads of private schools, colleges, and universities to organize and revive PRISAA in their respective areas. City, provincial and regional meets were held during the months of October 1990 to January 1991 to determine the regional champions who will compete in the national games.

On February 3-9, 1991, the PRISAA National Games ‘91 was held at the Pampanga Sports Complex, San Fernando, Pampanga gathering more than 4,000 athletes, coaches and officials from different regions participating in sixteen (16) sports officially recognized in international competitions, namely: athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, football, judo, karatedo, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, lawn tennis, table tennis, taekwondo, and volleyball. The different sporting events were held in cooperation with their respective national sports associations (NSA’s) On August 23, 1991 two (2) major sports associations, namely: State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) and University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) signed a Memorandum of Agreement with PRISAA to implement unified sports, academic and cultural competitions in the tertiary level. With the collaboration of the three (3) sports associations, PRISAA became known as Private and State Schools Athletic Associations (PRISSAA). An election of the National and Regional PRISSAA Officers were then held.

On February 5-11, 1992 the PRISSAA National Games ‘92 was held at the Iloilo Sports Complex, Iloilo City with fifteen (15) regions participating in twenty (20) sports/events, namely: athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, cycling, football, golf, judo, karatedo, lawn tennis, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weight lifting, and wrestling.

In the school year 1992-93, SCUAA decided to be an independent association, leaving PRISAA and UAAP to carry on with the unified sports, academic and cultural competitions under the banner of PRISAA. Election of National and Regional President were held.

The PRISAA National Games ‘93 was held at the Joaquin F. Enriquez, Jr. Memorial Sports Complex, Zamboanga City on February 21-28, 1993 with no less than President Fidel V. Ramos as guest of honor and speaker during the Opening Ceremonies. Fourteen (14) regions participated in eleven (11) sports/events, namely: athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, football, lawn tennis, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, and volleyball.

From school year 1993-94 to 1995-96, staging of PRISAA National Games was deferred, instead, it was integrated with the “Palarong Pambansa”.

The objective of integrating the PRISAA National Games with the “Palarong Pambansa” was not realized for some reasons.

In the school year 1996-97, PRISAA decided to conduct its own PRISAA National Games as agreed upon during the meeting of the National Officers and the PRISAA Regional Presidents held at Quezon City Sports Club, Quezon City on January 30, 1997. During the said meeting CHED Chairman Angel C. Alcala was also invited.

The PRISAA National Games ‘97 was held at the Abellana Sports Complex, Cebu City on May 18-25, 1997 with the House Speaker Jose V. De Venecia as guest of honor and speaker during the opening ceremonies. Twelve (12) regions participated in twelve (12) sports/events, namely: athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, chess, lawn tennis, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, and volleyball. To achieve PRISAA’s objective of self-reliance, PRISAA’s Strategic Planning Workshop was conducted at the Angeles University Foundation, Angeles City on August 15-17, 1997. The PRISAA National Officers Regional Presidents and other PRISAA collaborators from the media and government sectors attended the workshop. During the said activity, a dialogue with CHED Chairman r. Angel C. Alcala also took place.

For the school years 1997-98 to 1999-2000, the PRISAA competitions were again suspended due to lack of funds. However, in the year 2000, PRISAA competitions were revived again through the efforts of the PRISAA Board of Trustees. The Board introduced another scheme for the continuance of PRISAA competitions, i.e., participation to PRISAA is by membership. The Board also agreed that only those duly accredited PRISAA member-schools can collect PRISAA fees from students and can participate in the PRISAA competitions.

Thus, during the school year 2000-2001, PRISAA competitions took place in different levels, city/provincial meets, regional meets, cluster meets and eventually in the national level. The PRISAA National Games 2001 was held in Angeles City, Clarkfield and San Fernando, Pampanga on March 6-10, 2001 with PSC Chairman Carlos “Butch” Tuazon as the guest of honor and speaker during the opening ceremonies. Four (4) areas - Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and NCR participated in the National Games with nine (9) sports/events, namely: athletics, swimming, taekwondo, chess, lawn tennis, table tennis, baseball, basketball, and volleyball. In school year 2001-2002, the PRISAA National Games was held in Cebu City from April 20-27, 2002 with PSC Chairman Eric R. Buhain as the guest of honor and speaker during the opening ceremonies held at the New Cebu Coliseum. Sixteen (16) regions participated in four (4) sports/events, namely: athletic, baseball, basketball, and volleyball.

The PRISAA National Games 2003 was held again in Angeles City, Clarkfield and San Fernando, Pampanga on April 4-8, 2003 with PSC Chairman Eric R. Buhain as the guest of honor and speaker during the opening ceremonies. It was participated by thirteen (13) regions with the three (3) sports/events as follows: baseball, basketball and volleyball.

The PRISAA National Games 2004 scheduled to be held in Dagupan City and Lingayen, Pangasinan was again suspended in favor of PRISAA’s participation in the CHED National Palaro 2004 held in Bacolod City, due to the following reasons: 1) The call of the CHED Chairman to unify the tertiary sports competitions by and between the CHED, PRISAA and SCUAA in “Building a Strong Republic” and 2) The date of the PRISAA National Games 2004 coincides with the CHED National Palaro 2004 was held on April 23-28, 2004.

During the CHED National Palaro 2004 opening ceremonies graced by Her Excellency, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the covenant of cooperation was expressed through the signing of the “Pledge of Unity in Tertiary Sports” by Dr. Rolando R. Dizon, FSC, Chairman, CHED representing CHED, Dr. Emmanuel Y. Angeles, Chairman, PRISAA Board of Trustees - representing SCUAA with Mr. Eric R. Buhain, Chairman, PSC as the oath administering officer.

Responding to the call of unity as a commitment in realizing the government objectives of building a strong republic, the PRISAA national leadership through the efforts of Dr. Emmanuel Y. Angeles organized the PRISAA Strategic Planning and Workshop held in Clarkfield, Pampanga on June 18-20, 2004. in the workshop participated by the Board of Trustees, composed of PRISAA National Officers and Regional Presidents, a covenant of cooperation was also forged, to wit: 1) PRISAA will hold its own Annual PRISAA National Games with or without government support and intervention and 2) PRISAA shall commit to participate in the Annual CHED National Palaro.

PRISAA, mandated to realize its mission, vision, and goals is committed towards harnessing the potentials of the youth for excellence in sports, academic and cultural activities for a competitive and strong republic.

Mission, Vision and Goals

Mission

The PRISAA is an organization committed to harness the potentials of the youth for excellence in sports, academic and cultural activities for a competitive and strengthened republic.

Vision

The PRISAA envisions to serve as the venue of sports, academic and cultural development on the Filipino youth who are expected to bring pride, honor and prestige to the country.

Goals

In pursuing its vision and mission, the PRISAA endeavors to:

• 1. Develop leadership and global competitiveness to strengthen the morale and inspire the youth through sports, academic and cultural activities;
  2. Promote cooperation, camaraderie and harmony among private higher education institutions;
  3. Serve as the ideal medium to curb juvenile problems;
  4. Implement the constitutional mandate and the national government’s “sports-for-all” program;
  5. Link and network with government and non-government sports association in the country and abroad; and
  6. Become a self-reliant multi-sports association to sustain its operations and maintain its viability.