The preparations for the 2023 FIBA World Cup hosting is now close to completion as reported during the second inter-agency meeting at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Wednesday, July 19.

FIBAWC 2023 Joint Management Committee Head John Lucas, FIBAWC 2023 Chief Implementor & Master Planner Ramon Suzara, Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Richard Bachmann and FIBAWC 2023 Deputy Event Director Erika Dy in the press conference for the FIBA Inter-Agency Meeting on Wednesday at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila. (PSC photo)

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Chief Implementer and Master Planner for the FIBA World Cup 2023 Ramon “Tats” Suzara shared that the preparations are already near 100 percent, with all the plans including traffic management from the delegations’ hotels to the arena and practice facilities already in place.

“I would say after the meeting this morning, we are already 98 percent ready especially in all the venues,” said Suzara who was joined by Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Richard Bachmann, deputy event director Erika Dy and head of FIBAWC 2023 joint management committee John Lucas in the press conference.

“All the traffic management plans in the competition venues in the Philippine Arena, Mall of Asia Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum are in place, all hotels are in place including the World Congress in Sofitel,” he added.

The local organizing committee has also devised new plans to reach the target 45 minutes travel time from the hotel to the Philippine Arena where Gilas Pilipinas will play its first game against Dominican Republic.

“There’s been a lot of new plans on deck. I think we have decided on one plan that we want to simulate again probably during the next concert in the Philippine Arena so we can test it,” said Dy whose team is also working hand-in-hand with MMDA, NLEX officers and other agencies to also ensure the convenience of the fans traveling to the venue.

 “The time that we get the players there from there to the hotel is one thing and another important thing is the convenience of the fans to get in and outside the Philippine Arena,” she added.

The PSC, aside from the funding, is also pulling all the stops to help the LOC with Bachmann revealing that he already wrote to Malacañang and requested to declare the August 25 opening to be a holiday.

The Rizal Memorial Coliseum and the PhilSports Arena will also serve as training facilities for the teams.

Sarah Geronimo, The Dawn and Ben and Ben are tipped to lead the performances in what is expected to be a colorful and festive opening day of the World Cup.