THE PBA must not let this golden opportunity go to waste.
Alfrancis Chua, Ginebra’s representative to the PBA board, said the teams must exercise extreme caution and follow all the health and safety precautions if they hope to conduct practices and meet the pro league’s newest target date for the start of its 46th season.
“Bawat teams sa PBA, alam nila kung gaano kahirap kung paano kami nabuksan para maumpisahan ‘yung practice na 5-on-5,” said Chua in The Chasedown last Saturday.
“Hindi naman namin gusto na ensayo lang,” added Chua. “Siyempre gusto namin makapaglaro. We have to prove to them na nag-eensayo kami, walang nahawa, wala lahat, para mapayagan na tayo.”
Chua accompanied Commissioner Willie Marcial to a meeting with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Sen. Bong Go in Malacanang last week to appeal for the start of scrimmages.
Last Friday, the IATF allowed PBA teams to practice in areas under GCQ and MGCQ, giving Marcial the thumbs-up for the full-contact scrimmages to start by May 18 at the earliest and start the season some two months after it was originally set to kick off.
“We are thinking of June 15,” Chua said.
Since Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces are still under MECQ, probable training sites are those in Batangas City, Angeles City in Pampanga, Subic in Zambales and Laoag City. But the teams could stay close to home once the so-called NCR Plus reverts to GCQ.
One slip-up in the practices could derail the PBA’s plans, however, and Chua urged all teams to remain vigilant and follow the safety standards to be laid out after a meeting between Marcial and GAB chair Baham Mitra within the week.
“‘Yung paglalaro namin na ine-aim sa June, hindi IATF or hindi sila Sen. Bong o hindi sila Executive Secretary. Nasa sa amin ‘yun,” said Chua.
“We have to prove to them na kaya namin ‘yung protocols, na maingat na maingat kami para kami makapaglaro. Binigyan kami ng susi. Kung paano namin pagagandahin ‘yung susi, paano namin lalagyan ng bulaklak o pakikintabi ‘yung susi, nasa sa amin na ‘yun,” added Chua.
“Wag sila maging kampante. Dapat lalo kaming maging strict. If we want to stay and play the game, kailangan talaga sundin natin ‘yung tama. Ituring nila ang liga na ‘to na pamilya nila. Ituring nila na tayo nabigyan ng tsansa, wag na natin pakawalan,” he added.
