Abra lone district Rep. Joseph “JB” Bernos has backed calls to fix the pay disparity between referees officiating in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s and women’s basketball games.

According to Bernos, correcting the pay scheme is a matter of fairness and respect not just for officials but for women’s basketball as a whole.

“As a lawmaker, I believe equal pay for equal work is a basic principle that should never be compromised,” he said.

Reports revealed that referees in the UAAP men’s basketball tournaments are paid ₱3,000 per game, while those officiating in the women’s tournament receive only ₱2,000.

“Kung napanood mo ang women’s basketball—sa UAAP, NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), o kahit sa international tournaments—kitang-kita mo ang husay at puso na ibinubuhos nila sa laro. Wala namang pinagkaiba sa laro ng lalaki. Kaya di ko maintindihan kung bakit masmababa ang sahod ng mga ref sa women’s tournament ng UAAP,” said the Ilocano.

(If you’ve watched women’s basketball—whether in the UAAP, NCAA, or even in international tournaments—you can clearly see the skill and heart they pour into the game. There’s really no difference from the men’s game. So I don’t understand why referees in the UAAP women’s tournament are paid less.)

The Abra lawmaker says equal pay is not only consistent with labor principles and gender equality under the Magna Carta of Women, but is also vital to strengthening the future of the sport.

“Bilang taga-Abra, hindi ko maiwasang maalala si Gabriela Silang—isang babaeng mandirigma na ipinaglaban ang dangal at karapatan ng ating mga kababayan. In the same spirit, ang laban para sa pantay na pagtrato sa women’s basketball ay laban para sa dignidad at pagkakapantay-pantay ng lahat,” Bernos said.

(As someone from Abra, I can’t help but remember Gabriela Silang—a woman warrior who fought for the dignity and rights of our people. In the same spirit, the fight for equal treatment in women’s basketball is a fight for the dignity and equality of all.)

"Kung gusto talaga nating lumago pa ang women’s basketball, dapat alisin ang mga hadlang na bumababa sa tingin sa kanila. Nagsisimula ’yan sa pagrespeto sa lahat ng nasa laro—mula players hanggang referees—at siguraduhing pantay ang pagtrato sa kanila,” he added.

(If we truly want women’s basketball to grow, we must remove the barriers that diminish how they’re seen. That begins with respecting everyone involved in the game—from players to referees—and ensuring they are treated equally.)

Bernos said that this disparity “sends the wrong signal about the value of women’s sports", when in fact women’s basketball in the Philippines has grown tremendously in recent years.

He urged the UAAP and other sports organizations to immediately review their policies and ensure that compensation structures uphold fairness, equality, and justice.