OFWs to the rescue: Gilas gets taste of home with Filipino dishes

Members of Gilas Pilipinas at their official residence in China, Vaya Hotel. SCREENGRAB from Asi Taulava’s Instagram account

CHANGSHA CITY, China – Gilas Pilipinas players who have grown tired of the native food being served at the mess hall here are getting a reprieve with the usual “bayanihan” spirit among Filipinos again coming to fore.

Overseas Filipino workers have come in bunches supplying their Gilas heroes with a taste of home like tinola, chicken-pork adobo and sinigang, which have helped the Nationals recover their strength in the Fiba Asia Olympic Qualifier here.

Team Philippines has played a total of six games since arriving last Sept. 21 and most of the members have said that they want to have something not regularly served in the mess hall of Vaya Hotel, the athletes’ official residence.

In fact, some members of the team sent text messages to PBA board members who arrived here late Sunday, asking if they could bring some Spam, a popular meat loaf brand, over, and other canned goods.

Those board members who got the request were already at the airport waiting to board their flight. They, in turn, relayed the message to the group of Manny V. Pangilinan, the basketball godfather who is set to plane in on Thursday morning.