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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PBA resumption called step towards new normal

PBA resumption called step towards new normal

Published Sep 18, 2020 05:44 pm

The resumption of the Philippine Basketball Association season by October represents a step in the country’s movement towards a new normal amid the COVID-19 pandemic, said government COVID-19 testing czar Vince Dizon Friday.

Testing czar Vince Dizon (PCOO / File photo / MANILA BULLETIN)

“Tingin ko ang PBA bubble ay napakalaki na magiging simbolo nito sa papunta natin sa new normal (I believe the PBA bubble is big symbol toward our new normal),” said Dizon, president and chief executive officer of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), during Malacanang’s virtual presser.

“Dahil alam nyo naman po ang greatest past time ng ating bansa, ng ating mga kababayan ay basketball, ang PBA (The country’s biggest past time is basketball, the PBA),” he pointed out.

Taking cue from the National Basketball Association (NBA) bubble in Disney World in Florida, United States, the PBA is set to resume its basketball season this October by also conducting its own bubble in Clark, Pampanga under the BCDA.

He reminded that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has always held that the country should slowly start opening up its economy to get back up.

“Kailangan na nating simulang bukasan dahan-dahan ang ating ekonomiya dahil kailangan na manumbalik ang ating mga kababayan sa trabaho, kailangan ng ating mga consumers na lumabas na at simula na ring mamuhay (We need to start opening slowly the economy because we need our countrymen to get back to work, our consumers to get out and start living),” Dizon stated.

He assured that the PBA will observe strict health measures in holding the bubble.

“Kailangan safe pa rin kaya very strict ang protocols (But it still has to be done under very strict protocols),” Dizon stressed.

Dizon said he and other executives of the PBA will be presenting its plans for approval before the IATF.

The BCDA executive thanked the PBA for picking the government property in Clark.

“Ang alam ko po kasi may iba’t ibang private sector properties na nag-bid o nag-offer na mag-host ng PBA bubble pero ang napili po ng ating PBA ay isang property ng national government na ang Clark (I know that there have been private sector properties which made offers to hold the bubble but the PBA chose the government property in Clark),” he said.

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