Nine PBA teams set to begin training in Batangas City

Nine PBA teams are set to resume training in Batangas City on Thursday following a statement by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) that full practices and scrimmages are still not allowed in Metro Manila.

“Nag-clarify na si DOH, sinulatan kasi ni [GAB] Chairman Baham [Mitra] ang IATF for clarification na hindi pwede mag-practice sa NCR Plus,” said league commissioner Willie Marcial.

“Ang schedule namin Huwebes, Biyernes andun na yung siyam na teams. MVP lang ang norte,” he added.

With the exception of the three teams from the MVP group, the league’s nine other squads – Brgy. Ginebra, Phoenix Pulse, Rain or Shine, Alaska, Terrafirma, Blackwater, Magnolia, San Miguel and NorthPort will head to Batangas City where three gyms have been cleaned and disinfected by the local government on Wednesday in preparation for the teams’ practice sessions.

The training venues are the Batangas City Coliseum, Batangas State University Gym and the Lyceum-Batangas Gym.

Teams are expected to follow a closed-circuit format when travelling to and from Batangas.

Marcial stressed that the league will consider moving back to Manila if and when quarantine restrictions are relaxed after May 31.

“Maybe teams can practice closer to home by then. We’ll take a look at that possibility. I’ll follow-up with the IATF once that happens.”