Altas honor Hawkins with jersey retirement

University of Perpetual Help System Dalta will be paying tribute to Rene “Bong” Hawkins — the forward who led the school to contender status in its early days in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

No less than Perpetual president Dr. Anthony Tamayo, vice president for sports Anton Tamayo and school director R. Arnaldo De Guzman will lead the ceremony at the Home of the Altas gym inside the school’s Las Piñas campus on Friday, where Hawkins’ jersey No. 12 will be formally immortalized.

The event will coincide with the school’s 50th founding anniversary celebration.

Hawkins will be the second Perpetual player to have his jersey retired. First to have his jersey No. 6 retired is Barangay Ginebra and Gilas Pilipinas swingman Scottie Thompson, who led the Altas to a strong run in the NCAA around 10 years ago.

Known as “The Hawk,” Hawkins led Perpetual to its first NCAA finals in 1989 but lost to San Sebastian College in a best-of-three championship series.

He was drafted second overall by Presto Tivoli in 1991 but only blossomed when he was traded to Alaska two years later, emerging with eight Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) titles, including a rare grand slam in 1996.

All in all, he closed his 15-year career as a two-time PBA Mythical Team member, a two-time Mythical Second Team member, a 1994 Most Improved Player and was the Finals Most Valuable Player in the 1996 Commissioner’s Cup.

Prior to his jersey retirement, the school also enshrined Hawkins as one of its Distinguished Alumni during the 2026 Grand Homecoming last 7 February at the Manila Hotel.