NLEX coach Yeng Guiao endorses NBA-style ‘tip line’
Determined to make sure health guidelines are followed to ensure the safety of personalities involved should PBA teams resume practice sessions in the next few weeks, the league has set varying fines for future violators.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said coaches and team managers have agreed that violators – either players or safety officers – will each be penalized P20,000 for the first infraction which will then be doubled for repeat offenses.
“Kinausap ko mga players, sinabi ko sa kanila na oras na may violation ang safety officer niyo, tawagan kami sa PBA,” said Marcial in his interview at The Chasedown last Saturday.
“Ipa-fine namin (safety officer) ng minimum of P20,000 tapos pataas ng pataas (another violation). Then yung safety officer naman kung makulit si player, P20,000 din yun.”
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Marcial explained these violations could come from non-performance of jobs expected from the safety officer, which would either be a coach or a trainer to be appointed by the team.
As for the players, violations of the training schedule will be penalized since the team will be divided into four players with one safety officer for a one-hour training. If a player trains on a day he is not scheduled to – especially if not sanctioned by the team – then that’s an outright violation.
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Going out on personal or business reasons, or for essentials, also has its parameters.
“Meron kaming log sheet, meron kaming protocol doon,” said Marcial, adding that players should inform their safety officer of his whereabouts or where he is going.
NLEX coach Yeng Guiao said all these things have been agreed upon during the managers and coaches meeting.
“I don’t see any problem with that. Hindi mo din talaga kasi maiwasan na gawin yung ibang bagay. Either magpapa-gupit ka, or pupunta ka ng grocery, may mga restaurants na puwede na puntahan,” said Guiao.
“Hindi naman bawal, pero kung ganun, dapat alam ng team. Para at least alam naman na kung sakaling may maging issue (illness). Basta ang basehan dito is the IATF rules to wear mask and social distance.”
Guiao said that the PBA could go as far as doing what the NBA is set to implement – a ‘tip line’ for anonymous callers to report violators of safety and health protocols.
“Kasi magkakaroon naman yan ng investigation sa PBA e. Pwede itanggi, kaso halimbawa nakunan ka naman ng picture or video na naglalaro ka outside of the mini-bubble, violation yun,” he said.
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San Miguel Beer mentor Leo Austria said that these violations or PBA guidelines are not limited to players as it also includes coaches and staff, trainers, physical therapists and even utilities.
“Kung ikaw, halimbawa, kilala ka na involve sa ganitong team, tapos kasama ka ngayon sa training na gagawin, pero makikita ka sa labas na hindi nagpa-practice ng health protocols, mali yun,” said Austria.
“So lahat dapat ng involve, gawin kung ano ang sinasabing guidelines ng PBA. Kailangan na lahat sumunod, kasi kung hindi, hindi natin alam kung sino ang pwede magdala kung sakali ng virus pag nag-start na tayo sa ensayo.”
As for Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia, he said that it’s about following the measures the league has put in place. He said that while it’s new for everybody, it’s a step toward returning to action.
“We have to start here, so kung ito yung dapat na gawin, gawin natin ng maayos because this would only lead dun sa gusto natin na makabalik sa paglalaro, na balik sa PBA tournament,” said Garcia.
“I think lahat naman, lahat naiintindihan yun, lahat naman kayang gawin yung guidelines na napag-usapan,” he added.