The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas made its final push to strengthen the country’s bid for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup hosting rights by urging Filipinos to engage in SBP’s social media build-up heading to Friday, August 7 when the FIBA will announce the 2019 World Cup host.
The SBP announced their plans during the send-off Monday at the Meralco Office in Ortigas, trying to engage the Filipinos to support the bid on social media by using the hashtag #Puso2019, and by participating in their activities.
“In the Philippines, basketball is life. It is part of our cultural fabric and the number one sport, which people throughout our country follow devotedly every day,” basketball patron, Manny V. Pangilinan said. “The opportunity to receive the honor of hosting the FIBA Basketball World Cup would provoke extraordinary national pride. And as the social media capital of the world, that’s something that would inevitably be felt and talked about worldwide.”
Present during the send-off are former Gilas Pilipinas Head Coach, Chot Reyes, former Team Captain and Assistant Coach Jimmy Alapag, Team Manager Butch Antonio, and Department of Tourism’s Chicoy Enerio, who each shared their thoughts on the nation’s campaign to win the World Cup hosting rights.
Antonio said the country aims to share a “festival-like atmosphere” to the rest of the world should it win the bid to host the 2019 edition of the FIBA World Cup.
“Our energy [for the sport] is crazy and we aim to share this to the world. We want to share this experience and set the benchmark for the next FIBA World Cups,” he said.
Reyes also presented the themes for the “puso” acronym, namely “pride and passion,” “unity,” “social savvy,” and “our time.”
Alapag shared his personal experiences, saying he still feels chills when watching the Korea game and the support he received during the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain.
“Our passion for the game is one of a kind. For us to be miles and miles away in Spain and still be awarded the Most Valuable Fan award by FIBA, what more if we hold it here,” he said.
“I think it is time to take it home, and I think we can prove giants can be taken down.”
The SBP also bared boxing legend, Manny Pacquiao, will be part of the delegation that will fly to Japan this week to further boost its bid in an attempt to win FIBA’s confidence.
Organizers also presented the Dunkfie Campaign, wherein people will take selfies by placing their phones on a basketball rim as if mimicking a dunk.
ABS-CBN Sports’ TJ Manotoc, TV5’s Patricia Hizon, GMA Sports’ Mark Sembrano
Another campaign is the “Shot Para Sa Pinas,” where people will take videos and introduce themselves, while challenging friends to do the same by saying towards the end, “What is your shot?”
Filipino basketball enthusiasts are asked to make noise on social media on Friday during the nation’s presentation to FIBA in Japan.
