THE UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe (SDT) placed fourth in the NCR Qualifiers of the National Cheerleading Competition (NCC) last Feb. 8 to 9 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
But the group failed to get a podium finish in the National Finals last Mar. 8 to 9 at the same venue.
Garnering 288 points in the qualifying round, SDT placed fourth in the qualifying round which was topped by reigning UAAP Cheerdance Competition champion National University (NU) Cheer Squadron, with 341.5 points. Two-time NCC champion Central Colleges of the Philippines (CCP) finished second with 294 points, while seven-time NCAA cheerleading champion University of Perpetual Help settled for third with 290 points.
Taguig City University (272 points), Rizal Technological Institute (261.5 points), University of the East (240.5 points) and Ateneo De Manila University (237.5 points) also made it to the National Finals, along with Regional Camp champions Angeles University Foundation (Pampanga), Liceo de Cagayan University (Northern Mindanao), Notre Dame of Dadiagas University (Southern Mindanao) and Cavite State University (Southern Luzon).
SDT coach Ramon Pagaduan IV vowed that his squad would return to the Nationals.
“It’s a great start for us. We will definitely be back next season and we’ll push ourselves harder to enter the Finals again and get that title,” he said.
The CCP Bobcats lorded it over the other contenders for their third National title with 324 points. Perpetual came in second with 318 points while NU settled for a third place finish with 315.5 points.
“We are happy to be part of the NCC this year. We felt the warm welcome of the audience, as well as the other teams, which is a trademark of NCC competitions,” Pagaduan said.
NCC, considered as the Philippines’ first and only cheerleading organization, had 165 teams in six divisions this year, the most number of participants since its inauguration in 2006. Hedrix Ar-ar C. Caballe with reports from Nikka Lavinia G. Valenzuela
