PBA commissioner hopeful for Governors’ Cup resumption by February

The past few days saw a downward trend in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial sees this as a positive development which might eventually lead to the resumption of the stalled 2021 Governors’ Cup next month.

“Sa nababasa ko, sa naririnig ko, baka plateau na ito, so anytime puwedeng bumaba. Sabi nung iba, hindi sa February pa tataas yan, sisirit pa yan. Dasal lang tayo. Yun nga, ingat rin talaga,” said Marcial.

“Wala naman kaming magagawa kung hindi magdasal. Pero sa palagay ko, maganda ang pananaw natin this coming week. Makikita na natin kung saan papunta ang COVID-19 at ang PBA,” he added.

The league, which welcomed back fans to the venue last December, initially announced the postponement of games scheduled for the first week of 2022 before calling off all activities indefinitely just a few days after.

A board meeting has been scheduled next week to determine the league’s next course of action.

“Malaking sagabal, pero hindi naman natin ginusto. Wala namang may gusto nito. Talagang sinasabi ko na nga sa ibang mga kasamahan na andyan na yung COVID-19 at sa palagay ko hindi na maalis ito. Kailangan nating mabuhay na kasama siya. Katulad ng masks, forever na ba yung masks? Sana naman hindi. Pero kailangang pag-aralan natin. Kung hindi natin pag-aaralan ito or iintindihin, hindi tayo makaka-move on. Hindi tayo aandar,” explained Marcial.

To get things going, the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) has endorsed to the IATF to allow the PBA to resume the season-ending conference under a Type C bubble — the home-venue-home format.

“Hindi natin hawak ang panahon, nagtaas. Pinigilan tayo ng government. Naiintindihan naman natin yun. Ang tinitingnan natin, paano tayo makaka-restart. Paano natin ulit mapapaandar ang PBA,” said Marcial.

“Yun ang malaking palaisipan sa amin. Hindi lang kasi PBA family ang kausap mo. Madami rin kaming kausap. Mga Mayors, GAB, IATF. Hindi katulad noon na tayo lang, sa PBA. Kung may problema, kaya natin. Ngayon, mayroong nasa labas na hindi natin kapamilya, pero malaking bagay sila na natutulungan tayo. Mahirap, pero kailangang gawin sa mga ganitong sitwasyon.”