MANILA – The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) will devote the two-week return to the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) of Metro Manila and other areas to better prepare its partners for the professional teams' return to practice.
With the resumption of training among Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Philippines Football League (PFL), and Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 teams getting "a slight delay," GAB chairman Baham Mitra on Monday said: "rest assured that the GAB will take advantage of this temporary halt to prepare our stakeholders in order to ensure the safe return of activities related to professional sports."
The PBA and the PFL are already aching to have their member clubs resume their practices.
In fact, the PBA has already scheduled all its 12 teams to undergo swab testing for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) later in the week.
But with the reverting of NCR as well as Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan and Rizal to MECQ, Commissioner Willie Marcial said the scheduled testing has to "be pushed back."
"We have no recourse but to adjust the schedule of our activities," he added. "I look at it (MECQ return) as a short detour that we'll pursue in the hope of getting our teams back in the gym at the right time."
He, however, vowed that the PBA will still adhere with the government ruling about the Covid-19 pandemic.
The PBA board of governors is set to decide on whether it will resume its postponed season by September, but the latest development could factor in its final verdict.
The Philippine Football Federation (PFF), which operates the PFL, has also moved to defer its supposed start of training due to the new quarantine classification.
"PFF has already notified the PFL clubs on this latest development," the national sports association said in a statement.
In a press conference on Wednesday, PFF president Nonong Araneta said the PFL is looking to start by early September, but it is now expected to be pushed later in the month or in October.
The PFL is set to hold its season in a bubble at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona.
Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 teams are in a way affected too as their scheduled return to practice, assuming the league eyes a mid-September start, will coincide with the final days of the MECQ period, which could mean the league may need to move its season start a little later.
Like the PFL, the Chooks 3x3 league is looking to play its season in a bubble too with the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba as its venue. (PNA)
