GILAS Pilipinas Women standouts Kent Pastrana and Tin Cayabyab took offense on the UAAP's new guidelines that essentially led to a pay gap between referees officiating men's and women's games in Season 88.
"Medyo na-offend kami sa part na yun. Kasi as a women[’s player], basketball is the same lang naman," said Cayabyab, the National U forward.
"Nakaka-offend kasi ang tingin nila sa women's basketball is mababa," responded Pastrana, the University of Santo Tomas guard.
READ: UAAP coaches bat for equal pay for referees calling women's games
It's a reaction that mirrored that of the women's basketball coaches who were up in arms when they caught wind of the development first reported by SPIN.ph last Thursday that there was a discrepancy of pay for game officials, noting that from P2,500 per game across the board in the prior seasons, the rates have been changed to P3,000 for those blowing the whistle for the men's division, P2,500 for boys', and P2,000 for women's and girls' divisions.
The league released a statement on Saturday addressing the issue, but did not expound on its "tiered, merit-based structure" - which left more questions than answers.
Game respects game
But it's clear to the eyes of players themselves that as much as there's a difference when it comes to pace, the women's game is just as physical, if not more, than the men's.
"The physicality, the mental toughness, lahat, kung ano yung ginagawa ng men, ginagawa rin namin, kailangan din namin gawin sa loob ng court. So medyo na-discriminate kami sa part na yun," said Cayabyab.
Pastrana added: "Hindi lang sa intensity yan eh. The way na maglaro yung mens and womens, hindi na rin nagkakalayo. Sabihin nating mas talented yung men's, pero marami na rin nagsu-support sa women's."
Though the players understood that maybe there's a move to increase the pay for the referees overseeing the men's division, this should not come at the expense of those officiating the women's side.
"Sabihin natin na kung gusto nila na ma-increase nila yung [bayad ng referees] sa men's, pero wag nila bawasan yung sa women's kasi pinaghihirapan din namin sa women's yung fair calls at fair officiating," said Pastrana.
"Kung gusto nila na mas mataas sa men's, wag nilang bawasan yung sa women's."
She ended, "Sana ngayon i-treat nila yung women's basketball na parehas sa men's basketball din. Kasi yung women's basketball, pinaglalaban din namin sa lahat ng bagay. Hindi siya madali na ipaglaban yung mga team namin, ipaglaban yung sport namin."
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