Gilas Pilipinas stalwart Justin Brownlee has long been a beloved figure for PBA crowd-favorite Barangay Ginebra, so much so that he has embraced several well-known Filipino traits — especially the deep sense of gratitude or reciprocity.
That’s why it was an easy decision for Brownlee to stand alongside fellow basketball stars Scottie Thompson and Jayson Castro, as well as other notable pro athletes, in supporting Milka Romero and the 1Pacman Partylist’s advocacy for sports and youth development.
“I actually want to give back to basketball. Hopefully, I can do some things with younger kids and try to help the development of basketball here in the Philippines,” said the 36-year-old forward.
Brownlee officially became a Filipino citizen in January 2023, thanks to the efforts of outgoing 1Pacman representative Mikee Romero, who filed the bill granting his naturalization at the House of Representatives.
His naturalization paved the way for him to represent the national team, playing a crucial role in ending the Philippines’ 61-year gold medal drought in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.
His heroics — most notably Gilas’ shocking victory over world No. 6 Latvia in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, which ended a 64-year winless streak against European teams — have cemented his status as a national treasure.
And Brownlee knows that none of these milestones would have been possible without the efforts of Mikee Romero, 1Pacman, and the legislators who made his naturalization a reality.
“I definitely appreciate that. I understand it wasn’t an easy process, but I just appreciate all the senators and politicians who were involved. I can name so many, but I’m just gonna say everyone that was involved, I just appreciate them,” said Brownlee.
Now, Brownlee finds himself standing alongside Mikee’s daughter, Milka, as she continues 1Pacman’s mission to uplift grassroots sports, particularly in underprivileged areas across the country.
“Anything positive for the country,” said Brownlee.
“I’m a Filipino citizen now, so I take pride in things like that. Like I said, I wanna be a big part of it or even a small part of it and help as much as I can.”
