By Waylon Galvez
The PBA may be on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic but several players were able to found a way to entertain a country struggling to get back due to the health crisis.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B96vlgXlAuj
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel guard LA Tenorio led an effort in giving hope not just to PBA fans but also Filipino in distress since the government implemented an “enhanced community quarantine” last week.
Tenorio posted a video through Instagram showing him and fellow PBA stars belt lines from “Heal The World,” one of the hits of the late pop icon Michael Jackson.
“Ako naman po, kasama ng mga kaibigan ko sa PBA, gumawa din po kami ng collaboration na sana makapagbigay sa inyo ng pagasa, makapagbigay sa inyo kahit papaano ng kasiyahan,” said Tenorio.
“Dahil alam po namin na pagod na pagod na po kayo, especially po sa mga frontliners natin,” Tenorio added in reference to the doctors, nurses and health workers at the hospital, as well as the military and the police manning the different checkpoints.
Also part of the video were Tenorio’s teammates Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar and Mark Caguioa, Magnolia’s Paul Lee and Marc Pingris, James Yap, Beau Belga and Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine, Jayson Castro of TNT KaTropa, Kiefer Ravena of NLEX and June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer.
From top left, Ginebra's LA Tenorio, Magnolia's Paul Lee and Marc Pingris, Ginebra's Scottie Thompson, former Talk N Text guard and now Alab Pilipinas coach Jimmy Alapag, Rain or Shine's Gabe Norwood, TNT's Jayson Castro, Ginebra's Japeth Aguilar, former Ginebra player Jayjay Helterbrand, Ginebra's Mark Caguioa, Rain or Shine's Beau Belga, NLEX's Kiefer Ravena, Rain or Shine's James Yap and San Miguel Beer's June Mar Fajardo. (Photos screengrabbed from LA Tenorio's IGTV @la_tenorio)
Tenorio’s former Ginebra teammate Jayjay Helterbrand and one-time Gilas backcourt partner Jimmy Alapag also took part in the music video that has so far received more than 10,000 views and 2,000 likes.
At the end of the video posted by Tenorio and others involved, it continued to encourage with the words “Laban Kababayan”, “Laban buong mundo”, “Laban Tayo” and “Laban Pilipino."
Tenorio said he got the idea to post such video from Gal Gadot, star of the movie “Wonder Woman” who led a collaboration with other Hollywood stars as they sang the John Lennon hit “Imagine."
On the same video, Tenorio, started it with a lengthy message as he expressed his gratitude to all those individuals and companies that helped fellow Filipinos in need and encouragement to the health workers.
“Hello mga kababayan, ka-Barangay at siyempre PBA fans,” said Tenorio. “Kumusta kayo jan? Sana mabuti po ang inyong kalagayan, ganun din po ang mga mahal ninyo sa buhay.”
“Alam ko po na napakahirap ng nararansan natin ngayon na parang nakatigil ang mundo natin ngayon.
“Kapit lang po, matatapos din po itong pinagdadaanan natin ngayon. Ang mahalaga ngayon ay sundin natin ang panawagan ng gobyerno na mag-community quarantine para na din po ito sa kaligtasan ng lahat,” he added.
A devote Catholic, Tenorio also asked to continue praying for the country and the world as the COVID-19 pandemic remains a problem for different nations.
“At habang nasa bahay po tayo e sana magdasal din po tayo kay Lord,” he said.
Tenorio said that aside from this video, there are also efforts from the players and the PBA community in providing things to the people in need, though details are still being finalized.
“Pinaguusapan pa sa ngayon ano pwede gawin kasi hirap din kumilos,” said Tenorio. “Pero sa PBA community meron plano to donate talaga. Now usapan pa lang wala pa plano.”