The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) is set to begin its seventh season on March 8, with an anticipated increase in the number of participating teams.
MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes announced on Thursday that Ilagan City, Isabela, known as the “Corn Capital of the Philippines,” will join the league, which featured 29 teams divided into two divisions last year.
The formal signing ceremony is scheduled for January 27. Duremdes also revealed that Ilagan has offered to host this year’s season opener, an event expected to be graced by MPBL Founder and CEO Manny Pacquiao.
Duremdes noted that the final lineup of teams for the 2025 MPBL season will only be confirmed after all interested teams have signed their intentions to participate.
Last year, the powerhouse Pampanga Giant Lanterns claimed their place in history as the MPBL’s first back-to-back national champion.
Pampanga swept the San Juan Knights, 2-0, in the North Division Finals and defeated the Quezon Huskers, 3-0, in the National Finals.
However, Pampanga faces a challenging season ahead following the departure of several key players, including back-to-back MVP Justine Baltazar.
Meanwhile, the Quezon Huskers, Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, and Abra Weavers are strengthening their rosters as they aim to contend for the championship in the country’s premier basketball tournament, which concludes in December.
The MPBL made history in 2024 by hosting the first two games of the National Finals between Pampanga and Quezon in Dubai, UAE, marking the first time a local basketball league staged games abroad.
