ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) – National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) member-schools are barred from participating in Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) competitions starting this year. Elbert Atilano, PRISAA national executive director, said here on Friday, June 9, the board came up with the decision following observations that 80 percent of the athletes of NCCA and UAAP member-schools competing in PRISAA were pirated from other cities and provinces. Atilano said the NCAA and UAAP have 10 members each consisting of major universities and colleges in the National Capital Region (NCR). “They pirate our best athletes and the irony is they (athletes) end up playing against their former teammates,” said Atilano, a former councilor of this city. With this development, he said there will be no participants from NCR in this year’s PRISAA, which is slated to be held here from July 13 to 19. He said the PRISAA board has yet to act on the applications of some schools in the NCR that have applied for membership in the organization. Meanwhile, Atilano said an estimated 6,500 student-athletes from all over the country, except NCR, are expected to participate in this year’s PRISAA here. The various athletic delegations are expected to arrive here on July 11 and will be billeted in public schools identified by the Department of Education. PRISAA was organized on Feb. 17, 1953 by Dr. Manuel Carreon, the former director of the Bureau of Private Schools, who encouraged private schools in the country to join to promote sports and academic competitions.