The Senate adopted on Tuesday, Feb. 6, a resolution commending the FIBA Local Organizing Committee (LOC), the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) as well as the private sector, and all government agencies and instrumentalities for the successful hosting of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Senate Resolution No. 857, sponsored by Sen. Sonny Angara, detailed how the Philippines successfully hosted the 2023 FBWC - from the record-breaking crowd of 38,115 fans during the tournament's opening ceremony at the Philippine Arena which beat the previously held record of 32,616 attendees in Toronto, Canada in 1994 as well as the seamlessly organized games under the group phase and second round phase held in Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum; to the jam-packed finals round in MOA Arena.

"The strong cooperation between the private and public sector ensured smooth logistical management and provided ease not only for the players but for the viewing public," it read.

The resolution commended SBP led by its Chairman Emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan, the Philippines - who first hosted the FIBA Basketball World Cup (FBWC) in 1978 and once again got the hosting rights to the 2023 FBWC in a three-nation bid along with Japan and Indonesia - the first time in the flagship event's history to be staged in more than one country.

It also mentioned that even with the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic which affected almost all mobility for close to three years, the SBP has been hard at work in preparing for the 2023 FBWC hosting which ran from 25 August 2023 to 10 September 2023 through its various coordination meetings with the FIBA Central Board, co-host countries Indonesia and Japan, venues, suppliers, and teams.

"This is in addition to building and training our national basketball team to represent the Philippines and compete against the best teams and the brightest stars in basketball," the resolution read.

The government also extended its assistance to the SBP and the FIBA Local Organizing Committee (LOC) through various means, such as: President Marcos' issuance of Administrative Order No. 5, s. 2023 which established the Inter-Agency Task Force, directed all government agencies and instrumentalities, and encouraged local government units (LGUs) to extend their support for the preparation, organization and hosting the 2023 FBWC.

Also stated was Congress' approval of the government's funding support under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) as well as the naturalization measures pushed in order to strengthen our national team's roster; and the logistical assistance offered by our LGUs to the LOC.

"Gilas Pilipinas may not have emerged at the top in the actual competition. That distinction goes to Germany. But with our hosting of the World Cup, we as Team Philippines have won a lot of other victories. For instance, not only did we solidify further our spot in the pantheon of basketball-loving countries, we also gained the experience and the know-how of organizing a truly world-class sporting event," Angara said.

"We should not allow the lessons we’ve learned, and the confidence we’ve gained from this experience, go to waste. Here was a clear example of what we as Filipinos can accomplish, when we work together towards achieving a single vision. The fact that we have already done it with hosting the FIBA World Cup, only means we can do it again for another world class competition or another multi-country global event. And hopefully with each iteration, we doit better than the one before," he added.