Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. president Ronald Mascariñas, the brain behind Chooks-to-Go, offered last July that the company is willing to finance a full-time national team in order to meet the demands of the new FIBA schedule.
“We’re making this offer: If we can work out with the SBP and the PBA, we’re willing to finance a full time national team players,” said Mascariñas last July 12, during a press conference for Gilas Pilipinas at Crowne Plaza.
“You serve the country well, doon ka sa national team. If you serve the country, we will give you the max compensation, and we will take care of your livelihood after your playing career,” furthered the BAVI president and general manager.
It was a brave and bold offer from one of the national team’s booster. But that seemingly did not sit well with others, especially with the PBA team owners and its’ commissioner, Chito Narvasa.
“Yung announcement ko na we’re willing to support a full-time national team even regarding compensation, wala talagang intention to put PBA on a bad light.
“But unfortunately, that pronouncement, medyo nabigyan ng ibang meaning,” continued the basketball patron. “Siyempre yung ibang PBA owners think na parang nire-raid namin yung mga players nila.”
And with that, Mascariñas, who has been at the helm of BAVI since 2002, issued an apology towards the 42-year-old league.
“I’m here to apologize to the commissioner and to the PBA. I have really no intention to put the PBA into a bad light. I respect the PBA as an institution,” he said. “I will not do anything to weaken the PBA.
“I’m sorry if ang dating is nagmamalaki kami.”
According also to Mascariñas, the apology comes after he and Narvasa arranged a meeting just this Thursday afternoon, a meeting the BAVI president himself requested to iron things out as quickly as possible.
The said meeting was a fruitful one, according to Mascariñas. Furthermore, the soft-spoken company chief is grateful for Narvasa’s willingness to communicate.
“Kay commissioner naman I think naintindihan naman niya where we were coming from. He cautioned us na to think carefully bago magbitaw because sometimes iba ang dating sa other party. And I’m very grateful sa advice ni commissioner.”
Now that everything has been sorted out, Mascariñas assured that Chooks-to-Go will always be behind the PBA and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to support the national team in any way they can.
“We consider ourselves a small fish in this big pond of basketball and we’re new. We know better how to push the agenda of basketball forward. Nandito lang kami to support the PBA and SBP,” closed Mascariñas.
