In all, this is a resolution that will not solve any of the most pressing issues in collegiate sports.

When I learned about House Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero’s proposed resolution that prohibits schools in various collegiate leagues from having non-Filipino student-athletes on their respective sports teams, I shook my head in dismay.

And to learn that the Deputy Speaker did it as an offshoot of Gilas Pilipinas’ dismal showing at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup? Man, the move made even less sense.

Five years ago, when the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) mulled its motion to eventually implement a total ban on foreign student-athletes, I wrote about it and spoke live on television about the topic as well.

To ban foreign student-athletes in any collegiate league, my unequivocal answer is nay.

On the surface, it seems like a great idea.

The press release, after all, is that zeroing out foreign student-athletes will lead to more slots, more playing time, more exposure and more improvement for local players. The first three are logical, sure, but the last one isn’t a certainty.

Heck, I believe our local talents’ rate of improvement will actually slow down if, indeed, having foreign student-athletes will be phased out.

To restate my thoughts from years ago, banning foreign student-athletes will:

One of the reasons why people improve on their craft is because they are constantly pushed a little beyond their perceived limits and, in the context of sports, the best way to do that is to play against opponents with more size, more athleticism and more skills.

Translation? We severely limit the potential growth of our local talents if we ban imports from playing at the collegiate level.

2. Propagate a “threatened, not challenged” mindset.

Generally speaking, we love it when fellow Filipinos taste success beyond our shores.

We protest to high heavens when our brethren are denied jobs just because of their race, just because they’re not locals.

We claim that meritocracy should rule the day, not protectionism, but this is the exact opposite of the kind of mindset propelling this new motion.

Strangely enough, here at home, we feel threatened when foreigners take one or two slots in a team. The ideal, though, is that we should feel challenged, not threatened. We should challenge ourselves and prove that we can stand toe-to-toe with imports.

If these foreign student-athletes or anyone for that matter — local or foreign — make the grade, then let it be because of merit and nothing else.

More Pressing Issue No. 1 is unregulated recruitment. Let’s not kid ourselves: Complimentary condominium units? Six-figure allowance? Guaranteed jobs for relatives? We’ve all heard this stories, right? I’m not outright saying that these are all wrong, but that’s simply because there aren’t any rules with which we can work.

Who’s to say offering a condominium unit violates any rule when there are no clear-cut rules in the first place? Should there even be rules?

My answer is “yes.” Collegiate leagues should regulate recruitment because making offers that are way above and beyond educational scholarships and student-level allowances tend to make cutting corners as a student-athlete a lot easier.

After all, why should a student-athlete who already has all the fruits of being a professional like a residence, a car and a regular income continue studying in school?

The intrinsic motivation to finish school and earn a degree is greatly diminished.

For the record, I am not against a student-athlete earning income from, say, endorsements or something, but getting them straight from schools or boosters is another thing altogether.

More Pressing Issue No. 2 is monitoring whether these student-athletes really fulfill their dual roles.

Of all the student-athletes who have finished their playing eligibility and moved on to pro or semi-professional careers, how many have actually been able to finish their courses and earn their degrees? I don’t have hard figures, but I know for a fact that not all those who’ve finished their playing years actually possess college or university degrees.

How many student-athletes have failed classes or missed them entirely? How many have withdrawn from their schools or missed playing years for academic reasons? Isn’t this something that should be monitored more closely by the leagues instead of worrying about foreign student athletes?

Another aspect of this complicated issue is this: What about players who grew up in the Philippines or finished high school here, but who carry foreign passports or citizenship like Marko Batricevic, Ferdinand, Kirk Long, Vince Burke, and Moriah Gingerich. Will they be banned, too? Will they be classified differently?

In all, this is a resolution that will not solve any of the most pressing issues in collegiate sports.

It will not help us produce better athletes for our national teams or pro leagues.

It is, by all intents and purposes, just counterproductive.