The PBA is taking the wait-and-see approach yet again for its Season 46 opening as the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to ravage the country.
Commissioner Willie Marcial said that the league is waiting until the general community quarantine (GCQ) period within the National Capital Region (NCR) and nearby provinces ends on April 4 before plotting out their next move.
“Hihintayin natin kung ano ang mangyayari after April 4,” the amiable executive told Tiebreaker Times, Monday.
“Wala naman tayong magagawa roon. Hihintayin talaga natin kung anong sitwasyon natin after Holy Week.”
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Sunday said that the NCR, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal will all be under GCQ from March 22 to April 4 as COVID-19 cases have shot up to alarming rates recently.
Over 7,000 cases were reported in the last three days, including 7,999 last Saturday — the highest-ever since the outbreak began.
Rizal was among the provinces previously under the more relaxed modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). This made the Ynares Center in Antipolo City the league’s top choice for its closed-circuit Season 46.
The return to GCQ may affect the league’s plans, though. Marcial said that he actually felt optimistic that teams could have been doing scrimmages already by April 5 had there been no re-implementation of GCQ.
But then, the fourth-year league chief understands that this has been a challenging period, so he’s hoping and praying for the best.
Marcial said that the PBA Board will convene after the Holy Week to discuss their plans amid another test.
“After ng Holy Week, sigurado ‘yun,” he said.
“After Holy Week, magpapa-board meeting tayo.”
