Before Game One of the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan National Finals pitting Davao Occidental-Cocolife and San Juan-Go for Gold, league commissioner Kenneth Duremdes went on-air to explain the decision to forfeit Basilan-Jumbo Plastic from the competition.
“This is not just basketball anymore.
“Ang concern ng liga is ang paglalaro, but again, ang pinakaimportante dito — ang pinaka concern ng lahat — ay ‘yung health factor at ‘yung health risk na naidudulot ng COVID na ito. Doble ingat po tayo at lahat naman ng decisions ay guided by DOH guidelines,” said the PBA legend.
Davao Occidental was supposed to face Basilan in the decider of the South Division last March 10. The game though was postponed after a couple of Steel players tested positive for COVID-19.
While the two players have been sent home to their respective local government units to be taken care of, the league gave Basilan one-week to yield negative results in its remaining contingent. If not, the league would have to push through without the Steel.
Harold Ng and Darwin Lunor were called-up to replace the two players and were put in a different quarantine hotel.
Last Tuesday, four members of the Basilan delegation yielded positive tests, two of which were players that led to the Steel being asked to forfeit the game.
Based on the Department of Health’s Memorandum Circular, the same guideline which was followed by semi-professional league Philippine Superliga and greatly differs from Joint Administrative Order no. 2020-0001 which is followed by professional and amateur athletes, the league has to do the following:
| DOH Matrix | EXPOSED | SUSPECT, PROBABLE, OR CONFIRMED |
| WITH SYMPTOMS | ISOLATION Needs medical attention/symptom management and monitoring by a medical personnel | |
| NO SYMPTOMS | QUARANTINE Needs monitoring to (1) take action as needed for the possible onset of symptoms, (2) ensure restricted movement by a non-medical personnel of the BHERT or the OSH, and (3) provide clearance for reintegration | ISOLATION Needs medical attention and monitoring by a medical personnel |
Another key difference between the DOH memo and the JAO is that there are no practice protocols in place for semi-pro teams. The outbreak in Basilan was said to have stemmed from their practices that took place not in the Subic bubble as the teams only entered the campus days before the tournament began.
This is why Basilan raised that they have the right to postpone the game anew, citing that they could play with 10 men as the league had earlier allowed Makati Super Crunch to play with just five.
Duremdes emphasized that it was the cards given to the league and that it was only through the DOH circular that paved the way for the league restart.
“Ang tagal po nating hinintay etong plano ng MPBL na mag-resume ang season-ender. Ang dami na pong challenge, ang dami na po nating tao na nakausap. Ang importante dito is ‘yung guidelines na sinusunod ng liga under DOH and IATF,” continued Duremdes.
“Ito po ang pinakaimportante sa lahat kaya po tayo nabigyan ng permit to resume and then, wala po tayong ibang gagawin kundi sundin lahat. All of our decisions are made through the guidelines of the DOH. Pinapaalala po sa atin lagi ng DOH na kailangan po nating sundin para tayo’y magtuloy-tuloy na matapos ang ating season.”
