By REYNALD MAGALLON
Barangay Ginebra and TNT may have been busy preparing for their PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals showdown but their thoughts and prayers remain with the rest of the country affected by tropical storm “Kristine”.
With that, the PBA board, headed by chairman and Tropang Giga governor Ricky Vargas and vice chairman and SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua has decided to give the entire earnings of Game 1 of the Finals to all the victims of the tropical storm.
“May typhoon pero andito pa rin tayo. If you can see anong nangyayari sa bansa natin, mga kapatid natin na nasalanta, so nag-usap kami ni commissioner, ni chairman, we’ve decided na yung Sunday’s game, yung proceeds nun, lahat, ido-donate namin. Lahat yun,” said Chua as the players and coaches also braved the inclement weather to attend the Finals press conference at the Atrium at Enderun College on Thursday, Oct. 24.
Vargas said the proceeds will all be donated to the Alagang Kapatid Foundation which will then use the fund for relief operations on the heavily affected areas in Luzon, particularly the Bicol Region, Cagayan Valley and CALABARZON which were damaged by flash floods and landslides, as well as Aurora and Isabela where the tropical storm Kristine directly hit.
“‘Yung ibibigay ng PBA para sa nasalanta sa baha, we will entrust it to Alagang Kapatid ng TV5 foundation. So we are entrusting the proceeds to Alagang Kapatid, kilala naman niyo ang Alagang Kapatid. And, Alagang Kapatid will report on how they used the proceeds that was given to them by the PBA. Salamat doon,” added Vargas.
Game 1 of the Finals is set at the Ynares Center in Antipolo where a huge crowd expected to come in droves to see the rematch between TNT and Ginebra, featuring prolific imports in Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Justin Brownlee.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said the league is also reaching out to their partners and sponsors to try and gather more help for the victims of the disaster.
The league also called out for other groups and other individuals who wanted to join the PBA in lending hands.
“Again, andito tayo, preparing for Sunday’s game and them, they’re there preparing kung may matitirhan sila or may makakain pa. Pagdasal na lang natin sila,” said Chua.
“Kung sino pang ibang gustong tumulong, nananawagan po ako na sana tulungan natin ang ating mga kapatid,” he added.
