YENG Guiao’s thoughts may be occupied at the moment on helping get the PBA season started, but the bigger picture is not far from his mind.
That explains why the outspoken NLEX coach wants all of the country’s elite athletes, both amateurs and professionals, to be included among the top priorities in the government’s mass vaccination program.
“’Yung mga athletes i-categorize na as A4. Kung A4 na sila, kung may available na vaccine dapat ma-vaccinate na sila,” Guiao told Malaya-Business Insight.
“Kunyari, paano ka mag-pa-practice for FIBA? Kailangan kang mag-bubble. Pero kung naka-vaccine ka na, ‘yung Gilas team natin hindi na kailangang mag-bubble.’Yung mga SEA Games athletes natin, ‘yung mga Olympic athletes natin, ‘yung mga international campaigners natin dapat ipa-vaccine mo na sila,” added Guiao.
Under the country’s vaccination program, those in the fourth priority (A4) include transportation workers, market vendors, religious leaders and overseas Filipino workers.
The A4 group is next in line for the COVID-19 vaccine after health workers (A1), senior citizens (A2) and persons with comorbidities (A3).
Even if they still contract the virus, vaccinated individuals are projected to suffer only mild to moderate, and not severe, cases.
Being primarily a basketball man Guiao specifically cited the Olympic Qualifying Tournament come May in Austria, where the Philippines is set to vie for a slot in the Tokyo Games but whose preparations have been hampered by the current government restrictions.
“Meron tayong OQT. Yung athletes para doon dapat nagpi-prepare na roon. ‘Yung mga candidates para sa team na iyon, let’s say 25, vaccinate all of them. Dapat ngayon pa lang vaccinated na silang lahat para kapag napili sila dire-diretso na training nila,” said Guiao. .
That same “carrot and stick” argument is what Guiao chipped in during an online meeting with PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial last Monday night.
Marcial wanted input from all the teams’ representatives before his meeting with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea yesterday afternoon, wherein the commissioner would explain why the PBA should get the go-signal for its oft-delayed season to finally start.
Ginebra’s Alfrancis Chua and Richard del Rosario, as well as San Miguel Beer’s Gee Abanilla, were foremost among those who raised several points during that meeting. But Guiao did not scrimp the most in his advice.
“Actually, dapat separate category tayo. Hindi ‘yung hindi mo alam every 15 days kung mag-pa-practice ka o hindi. Pagka bumalik sa ECQ o MECQ tigil ka. Pagka nag-GCQ o MGCQ practice ka. So parang push-and-pull siya. So how can you prepare?” posed Guiao.
Guiao gave as prime example the Philippine Cup bubble in Clark last year, which was held successfully and prompted the FIBA to hold its qualifying windows in the same Pampanga venue on June 16-20.
“Dapat may special dispensation ka na. ‘O ikaw, PBA. You have proven in the bubble that you can be successful. You have proven that you can police your own ranks.’ Ginawa pa nga tayong model ng FIBA kaya dito mag-ba-bubble,” posed Guiao.
