MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATED/CORRECTED) The UAAP will officially return to action on March 26 for its 84th season.

UAAP President Nonong Calanog of hosts De La Salle University announced Friday that the UAAP will finally be back, after nearly two years of inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is now Season 84, even if there was no actual tournament for Season 83," said Calanog.

The league is still finalizing the venue for the season, though they are talking to their "usual partners" -- the Mall of Asia Arena, the Araneta Coliseum, the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan, and even the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

"We will be announcing the final venue in a couple of weeks. We're just finalizing with them. The Important thing with us right now is if the venue can have us for the entire tournament, because it's very difficult to be moving from one venue to another," Calanog explained.

The UAAP was forced to call off its second semester sports in Season 82, and canceled the entirety of Season 83 over health and safety concerns.

Given the current situation, the UAAP still cannot hold a full calendar of events for its 84th season.

Instead, Calanog bared that they will hold men's basketball, women's volleyball, cheerdance, men's and women's 3x3 basketball, men's beach volleyball, poomsae, and men's and women's chess this season.

UAAP officials are hopeful that more sports can be contested in Season 85, which will be hosted by Adamson University later this year.

"Adamson is looking to open Season 85 in October," said Calanog. "So there will be two basketball seasons in the same year. That will be hopefully in a more 'new normal' situation."