Bases Conversion and Development Authority chief Vince Dizon vowed to provide the eight-country delegation with the same amount of security the PBA contingent had when the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers kicks off in Clark, Pampanga in February next year.
Strict protocols will be enforced throughout the duration of the tournament, with the host laying on the table the exact blueprint of the successful PBA bubble which ended recently without any major hiccups except for the two “false positives.”
It would be recalled that a player from Blackwater and a referee initially tested positive for COVID-19 in the elimination round, but was later deemed as false alarm with the two individuals returning negative results from the antigen tests.
Read: False alarm? PBA referee returns negative result from antigen test
"As a result, after those two instances, tuloy-tuloy nang walang naging problema until the end of the PBA bubble in early parts of December," said Dizon in a virtual press conference Saturday attended by PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, PBA deputy commissioner Eric Castro, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio, and SBP executive director Sonny Barrios.
"We will continue with those strict protocols. Kagaya nga nang sinabi ni Comm. Willie, first time natin to ginawa ngayong October kaya marami tayong natutunan."
Read: Bubble success an early Christmas present for PBA commissioner Marcial
On top of those protocols, Dizon is mulling to open another quarantine facility in Clark dedicated solely for players and staff in the event of a positive COVID-19 case.
In the PBA, the referee and the Blackwater player were put under quarantine at the Athlete’s Village, a national quarantine facility in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
Castro echoed Dizon's sentiments, adding that an "accurate" testing laboratory would be of huge boost when the Philippines host the FIBA qualifiers.
"'Yung learning talagang cooperation and discipline ng players, ng staff, ng , ng Quest . Talagang dito natin nakita na if we're together, we will succeed," said Castro.
The third and last leg of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers is slated from Feb. 18 to 21 next year with Clark as one of the four cities chosen to stage the qualifying tournament.
Read: SBP inspects Clark venues for February qualifiers
Philippines is set to host Group A where Gilas Pilipinas leads with a 3-0 record, followed by South Korea (2-0), Indonesia (1-2) and Thailand (0-4). Teams in Group C, Australia, New Zealand, Guam and Hong Kong, will also play in Clark.