Inoculation is of utmost importance for the PBA as it hopes to stage Season 46 amidst the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“The vaccination of the whole PBA family will be the first order of the day,” vice chairman Bobby Rosales said in a virtual presser Tuesday.
Rosales, also the team governor of Terrafirma Dyip, disclosed that a vaccination program is being made to provide the much-needed immunization for the entire league, from of course the players down to the employees.
The amiable executive believes that it might get easier for PBA to gain the nod of the government, particularly the Inter-Agency Task Force, to go on with its cage wars this year if everyone in the league gets inoculated.
“Why do we say that it is the first order of the day? Because we believe that if everybody has been vaccinated, then it might be easier for the government through the IATF to allow the season to open,” he said.
The league has been in communication with the IATF and Commissioner Willie Marcial, according to Rosales, is set to meet with them next week.
Expected to be tackled in that meeting is mainly the new health guidelines for the season, but Rosales is also hoping to receive more suggestions from the powers-that-be for the league’s vaccination program.
“We’re awaiting what other protocols or guidelines the IATF will ask of the PBA even if everybody has been vaccinated. That is why the Commissioner is scheduled to meet with the IATF soon — I think by next week,” he said.
“And if the government, also — although we have been able to source the supply of the vaccine — if there is any way we can expedite further the vaccination program of the PBA.”
That vaccine supply, Rosales believes, won’t be much of a problem as some of the PBA’s team owners, from business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan and the San Miguel Corporation, have pledged to donate thousands of doses.
The PBA, on the other hand, is also doing its part. It has entered talks with the Philippine Red Cross earlier this year for the procurement of vaccines.
“We received a commitment from MVP for the whole family. The Commissioner has also made arrangements with the Philippine Red Cross. Even San Miguel has offered to vaccinate the whole PBA family,” he said.
The only concern, for now, is really the availability of vaccines, as it could possibly dictate when will the league raise its curtains.
“The question really is when can we have the PBA family vaccinated? That is the big question mark. The vaccine supply is just starting to come in. And if we want to open soon then we have to start vaccinating everybody,” Rosales said.
Still, the league remains optimistic. Marcial himself is keeping his fingers crossed that vaccines will be available by May or June.
“Tinitingnan naming mga governors, by May or June. Sana. Sana magkaroon na tayo ng vaccines. Pero hindi nga natin kontrolado, pero ‘yun ang tinatarget namin, by May or June,” he said.
“May kasamang dasal, sana magkaroon.”
