THE PBA is set to take another step in its determined drive to get its long-delayed 46th season finally kicking off as early as this month.
According to a league insider, Commissioner Willie Marcial is currently working on having players and coaches getting inclusion in the A4 category of the country’s vaccination priority list.
“May niluluto si Comm (Marcial), ‘yung vaccines,” the source told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday.
“Mind you, hindi mag-ja-jump sa listahan,” added the insider. “Ma-re-classify lang into A4.
Iyon ang inaasikaso ni Kume para ‘yung players, coaches at iba pang team personnel mabakunahan na.”
Those in the A4 category, due for inoculation this month, include professionals who have to work outside their residences.
Most of the available COVID-19 vaccines require two doses 21 days apart and should the team members get their first jabs within the next couple of weeks they would be able to complete their vaccination by early July at the latest.
The PBA opening, initially set last April, has been moved back to June 25 but may again be re-set to early July.
In an interview last Saturday, Marcial has said getting everybody in the PBA family inoculated remains the league’s top priority since it would surely help it get the IATF to allow the season to push through.
“Mas malaki tsansa natin makakuha ng green light kung mababakunahan na tayo,” offered Marcial.
“Kasi okay naman practices natin. Ibig sabihin, kaya nating kontrolin itong mga tao natin sa PBA at hindi tayo tumutulong na makasama,” added Marcial.
“Kapag nabakunahan na tayo, kahit first dose pa lang, kasunod na niyan ‘yung mag-re-request ka to go ahead with the official games.”
The 12 teams just went through a hassle-free two weeks of practices in different parts of the country where they are allowed to.
Nine teams conducted their sessions in Batangas, two in Laoag City and one in Subic, with all teams practicing the mandated health and safety protocols to the fullest, including getting tested before and during their practices.
“In two weeks nagawa natin ng maayos (practices),” noted Marcial. “So kaya nating maging safe and sana i-take into consideration iyon ng mga kinauukulan.”
