CONTINUING its rise while finding a new home.
Sinag Liga Asya has linked up with the People’s Television Network’s sports arm just in time for the Junior World Showcase Mindanao Cup set for July 5 to 11 in Cagayan De Oro City.
“It’s a very big opportunity for us, especially that now we have a home that we can say a TV partner, a TV network that would be able to wider our scope in developing grassroots especially we’re launching the second year of our SLA Junior World Showcase in Cagayan de Oro City from July 5 to 11,” SLA chairman Rocky Chan said during the league’s official memorandum of agreement signing over the weekend at the Gimaca Boutique and Hotel Café in Mandaluyong. “These are kids from 13, 15, 17, 19, and 21-Under. It’s a one-week international tournament. Teams from the US, Canada, UAE, and the Philippines will be well represented, lalo ang Mindanao.
“I think we have more than 10 teams in Mindanao, from Zamboanga going now to Davao del Norte as far as that,” added the amiable and hardworking executive.
Leading the event were SLA President Ray Alao, chief operating officer Leo Isaac, deputy commissioners John Ferriols and EJ Feihl, PTV Overseer of Sales and Marketing and Legal Head Atty. Pamela Parce, and Network General Manager Atty. Robert Doller.
“The MOA is for the duration of all SLA tournaments,” Parce said. “From SLA Lakas 40 to SLA Junior Philippines, Junior World, Inter-Agency or the Secretary’s Cup and the Premier Cup Collegiate basketball in the future.”
With PTV Sports set to serve as SLA’s TV partner, Chan could not get any grateful.
“So, it’s a very big boost for us, especially for SLA. Lalo na iyon mga iba pang tournaments as we also set to launch our regional grassroots sports tournament like basketball and volleyball,” Chan said. “So, we’re very happy. Sobrang masaya ang organization for having PTV Sports Network with us.”
The second season of the joust is also all systems go, according to Chan.
“This is our second edition after last year. From 24 teams last year, we now have 36 teams. We’ll be playing almost a week on three basketball courts in Cagayan De Oro. The city government of Cagayan De Oro led by Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy has already prepared everything for the event,” he said. “So, ito, we’re so happy kasi the international teams are most around 15 to 20 teams plus our local teams from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are well represented.”
