THE PBA should be able to hold its Governors Cup tournament even if the Omicron variant of COVID-19 plagues the country as widely feared.
This was the hope expressed by Commissioner Willie Marcial, saying the lessons learned from the last two conferences successfully staged should serve the league in good stead in the season-ending tournament set to start Dec. 8 at the Ynares Sports Arena.
“May mga bagay na hindi natin kontrolado, lalo na’t kulang pa tayo ng detalye tungkol ditto sa Omicron na puwedeng manggulo sa mga plano natin,” Marcial told Malaya-Business Insight. “Pero umaasa pa rin tayo na ‘yung mga natutunan natin since last year madadala natin ngayon para mairaos ng mahusay ang Governors Cup.”
Marcial admitted the Omicron variant is indeed a big cause for concern since it is reported to be more transmissible than the Delta strain, which infected a huge part of the country and forced unwanted delays in the season-opening Philippine Cup.
The latest variant, which originated in South Africa, has been reported in about 20 countries all over the world and is expected to make its way to the Philippines as well.
With the PBA armed with strict health and safety protocols, Marcial believes the pro league can deal with such an eventuality.
“Mayroon na tayong mga protocols, safety measures, so tingin ko handa tayo,” said Marcial. “Ang talagang may say diyan gobyerno at tayo naman ay sumusunod lang kung ano itakda ng mga national officials, so tingnan natin.”
Marcial said holding the coming conference in a closed circuit set-up, much like last year’s Philippine Cup bubble in Clark and the same tournament’s recent semi-bubble format in Bacolor, is among the possibilities he and his staff are looking at.
“Lahat ng options tinitingnan na natin,” said Marcial. “Basta ang importante, mairaos natin ‘yung Governors sa isang maayos at ligtas na paraan. Kapag nakita nating hindi kakayanin, knock on wood, ititigil natin dahil mas importante pa rin ang kaligtasan ng lahat.”
