Amateur league Filbasket bared that it only followed the advice of the Philippine Sports Commission with regards to mounting a sports bubble.
PSC chairman Butch Ramirez sent a letter to league founder Jai Reyes and also sent to Inter-Agency Task Force chairperson Francisco Duque; co-chairperson Karlo Nograles, and Kenneth Ronquillo. In it, the PSC – despite being given jurisdiction to govern amateur events and athletes – said that it has “no right to comment regarding the request of Filbasket.”
Instead, the PSC forwarded Filbasket’s request to the Department of Health as per the advice of the PSC.
“We respectfully suggest for the project proponent to refer to DOH Memorandum Circular No. 2021-0011, ‘Guidance on the Conduct of Health-Enhancing Physical Activities and Sports under the Bubble Set-up during COVID-19 Pandemic,’ on the health and safety protocols enforced for the conduct of said event as well as the guidelines for those sports leagues, associations, sponsors, and organizers, and all other entities engaging in health-enhancing physical activities and sports that do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Sports Commission and the Games and Amusements Board,” read the letter of Ramirez.
Filbasket also said that it did its due diligence to inform GAB as well.
With this, Reyes and the small staff of Filbasket were able to gain proper clearances from the DOH; the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; and the Regional Task Force 3 (Central Luzon) to hold a bubble tournament in Subic. The venue will be at Subic Bay Gymnasium, while the athletes and officials will be billeted in two nearby hotels.
Subic is also under Modified General Community Quarantine.
On September 27, however, the IATF also released a statement saying that GAB should have jurisdiction over Filbasket because it has the spirit of a professional league.
