BY WAYLON GALVEZ
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial has asked the management of the 12 teams to coordinate with his office since forms is needed to be filled up by players for swab testing as the pro league is finally allowed to restart practice sessions.
“Tumawag na sa akin si GAB chairman Mitra and he said, ‘it’s a go’ kaya eto nga umpisa na kami sa pag-asikaso,” said Marcial in a telephone interview Monday.
Marcial said he expect to receive a copy of the letter from the ‘technical’ joint group of the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) headed by Abraham Mitra, the Philippine Sports Commission under chairman Butch Ramirez and the health department led by secretary Francisco Duque III before the end of the day.
Marcial said the forms will then be forwarded to the Makati Medical Center, the hospital tasked to conduct the swab testing, the first step for the 12 teams to resume after almost a five-month break.
“We’ll coordinate with the Makati Medical Center, because they need to encode all players, coaches na kailangan mai-swab test,” he said.
Marcial, however, said the three teams of San Miguel Corporation (SMC) – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, San Miguel Beer and Magnolia Hotshots – will not be testing at MMC since SMC has its own testing facility.
The nine others – TNT KaTropa, NLEX, Meralco, Rain or Shine, Alaska, NorthPort, Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, Terra Forma DYIP and Blackwater – are required to undergo testing at MMC.
“Ang San Miguel kasi meron sila, so yun na yung gagamitin nila. Pero yung nine teams, lahat sa Makati Medical Center na. Alam naman natin na si MVP din ang may- ari (hospital) so malaking tulong,” said Marcial.
“Hopefully maayos lahat… kung ok naman lahat tignan natin baka Monday na makapag-start ng ensayo,” Marcial said.
The league’s resumption to training comes after the joint group of DOH, GAB and PSC approved the guidelines for professional basketball and football return amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
With strict health protocols, the heads of the said government department and agencies signed the letter Monday to be forwarded to the PBA Commissioner’s Office and the Philippine Football League.
“Chairman Butch Ramirez, Sec. Duque and I have already signed the joint admin order,” said Mitra in a statement.
“We are so happy and excited that finally after more than four months our professional football and basketball players can now shake off some pounds they may have acquired during the quarantine.”
“We all recognize the importance sport plays in building one’s strong immune system, what we just wanted to ensure was that they keep safe and away from the virus while they are doing it,” said Ramirez.
