A resolution congratulating and commending Gilas Pilipinas, their coaches and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), for their “outstanding representation of the country” and for “boosting” the status of Philippine basketball worldwide after winning the silver medal at the 2015 Fiba Asia Championship in China, was filed at the Senate on Monday.
Senate Resolution No. 1605 was filed by Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the Senate committee on games, amusement, and sports.
In the resolution, Angara said the Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippine men’s basketball team, together with their head coach Thomas Anthony Baldwin and assistant coaches, Joseph Uichico, Alexander Compton, Josh Reyes and Norman Back, and with the “relentless” support of the SBP headed by businessman Manny Pangilinan “showed passionate athleticism and resilience coming one victory short of automatically qualifying for the 2016 Olympics to be held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.”
“The Gilas Pilipinas has had an expressive run showing passion and the Filipino brand of puso (heart) throughout the 2015 FIBA Asia Tournament, even beating the 2013 Fiba Asia Champions, Iran,” the resolution said.
“Despite falling short to China this year, the Gilas Pilipinas team has shown discipline, teamwork and excellence in their games and triumphed despite great odds and circumstantial misfortunes.”
“The Gilas Pilipinas has once again brought pride and honor to the country, and has truly won the hearts of the Filipino people,” it further said,
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