STOPPED. As a result of the new UAAP rule, Jerie Pingoy will have to sit out for 2 years before being eligible to play for the school he's rumored to be transferring to, Ateneo. Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines -- Twitter went abuzz Tuesday night, March 5, when news of the new UAAP rule on residency broke out.

In a report first filed by Spin.ph and later confirmed by Rappler, graduates of UAAP high schools who would like to transfer to other UAAP schools for college must serve a two-year residency before becoming eligible to play in the league.

According to a source who refused to be named, the UAAP Board approved on Tuesday afternoon recommendations made by its amendments committee led by Ateneo de Manila University's Em Fernandez.

The new rule will be implemented immediately, thus affecting the current crop of graduating high school seniors, including two-time basketball MVP Jerie Pingoy of Far Eastern University and former volleyball MVP Kim Dy of De La Salle Zobel.

Netizens express disgust

Shortly after the news spread through the web, netizens expressed their disgust while some poked fun at the new ruling, as the hashtag #NewUAAPRule becoming one of the top five trending topics on Twitter in the country.

Also sharing their sentiments were other past and present UAAP players from basketball to volleyball and to other sports, with majority complaining about the new rule.

Members of the media also chimed in, with online, print and broadcast journalists noting the loopholes in the rule and saying that the new rule might do the league more harm than good.

"The #UAAP created a monster by failing to check recruitment practices," tweeted Philippine Daily Inquirer assistant sports editor Francis TJ Ochoa. "Then it created another monster to fight that monster. #NewUAAPRule." - Rappler.com