GAB to take advantage of MECQ lull to prepare stockholders

MANILA – The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) will devote the two-week return to the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) of Metro Manila and other areas to better prepare its partners for the professional teams’ return to practice.

With the resumption of training among Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Philippines Football League (PFL), and Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 teams getting “a slight delay,” GAB chairman Baham Mitra

on Monday said: “rest assured that the GAB will take advantage of this temporary halt to prepare our stakeholders in order to ensure the safe return of activities related to professional sports.”

The PBA and the PFL are already aching to have their member clubs resume their practices.

In fact, the PBA has already scheduled all its 12 teams to undergo swab testing for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid

later in the week.

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF), which operates the PFL, has also moved to defer its supposed start of training due to the new quarantine classification.

“PFF has already notified the PFL clubs on this latest development,” the national sports association said in a statement.

In a press conference on Wednesday, PFF president Nonong Araneta said the PFL is looking to start by early September, but it is now expected to be pushed later in the month or in October.

The PFL is set to hold its season in a bubble at the PFF National Training Centre in Carmona.

Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 teams are in a way affected too as their scheduled return to practice, assuming the league eyes a mid-September start, will coincide with the final days of the MECQ period, which could mean the league may need to move its season start a little later.