By Waylon Galvez
Barring another travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, Rain or Shine superstar James Yap is flying back home from Italy on September 2.
“Sure na… sana lang wala na talaga maging problema,” Yap said when contacted Sunday.
Yap’s previous flights back to the Philippines from Italy were called off twice after Qatar – his stopover from Italy – decided to close its border due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the last one was on August 22, which coincided with Metro Manila’s return to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).
Yap and partner Michela Cazzola left for Italy with their kids Michael James and Francesca Michelle in early June because of “family reasons” – but he assured the Rain or Shine management of his return if the PBA teams will be allowed to resume practice.
They are staying at the Cazzola residence in the province of Ravenna – about three hours away from Rome.
PBA players had their swab tests the past several days in preparation for the resumption of training, possibly August 25 said league commissioner Willie Marcial last week.
Yap, a former two-time PBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), said coming back home would be difficult without his family since the rest of them will be staying in Italy – likely until the holiday season.
“Actually mahirap siyempre ma-miss ko sila… si ‘Bugoy’ ko ayaw ako paalisin sinasabi sa akin “don’t go” kaya ngayon pa lang kinu-kundisyon ko na yung isip niya na need ko mag-work,” said Yap, referring to his four-year-old son who he fondly calls ‘bugoy’ as a term of endearment.
“Pero alam naman na even before kami pumunta dito, babalik ako ng Pilipinas kapag mag-resume na ang PBA. Trabaho natin yan, talagang kailangan na bumalik na ako,” added Yap.
A member of the 40 Greatest Players in the PBA, the 6-foot-2 Yap said the plan is for him to return first to the country, before the rest of his family rejoins him here in the next couple of months.
However, he isn’t discounting the possibility of returning to Italy for Christmas.
“Hindi pa namin talaga alam, basta ang plano is susunod sila umuwi, pero baka bumalik din ako dito… sa ngayon wala pang final. Tignan namin kung ano sitwasyon sa atin,” said Yap, pointing to the rising COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, which is nearing the 200,000 mark.
Yap said he already reached out to Rain or Shine team owners Terry Que and Raymund Yu about his scheduled flight.
He also informed about his return top management officials Mamerto Mondragon and Jireh Ibanes – a former ROS player who is now the deputy team representative – since he will be quarantined.
“Of course sunod tayo sa government procedure pag nakabalik na ako… swab test tapos quarantine. Mahirap na din na derecho bahay kasi andun din yung parents ko sa amin,” he said.
“Ang importante now is maka-balik, maka-join sa ensayo kapag natuloy na tayo. Excited din naman ako na makalaro, wala din naman ako ginawa kundi pakundisyon kaya ready naman ako,” he added.
Yap is in the second year of his three-year deal with the Elasto Painters, which could be his last as he intends to focus on his business ventures and other things – including his rumored interest in public service.
