PBA preparing for resumption of team trainings

MANILA, Philippines—The PBA has started working slowly towards the resumption of the season.

According to the league’s official website, the Board of Governors on Wednesday discussed how the teams could finally return to their respective training facilities for conditioning exercises in anticipation of Metro Manila’s transition into general community quarantine.

More sports activities are allowed under GCQ but full-contact 5-on-5 basketball will only be played once all lockdown protocols are relaxed.

Commissioner Willie Marcial said that although they’re planning to allow the players to meet with each other for workouts, everything will still be in accordance with the Inter-Agency Task Force’s recommendations.

“What we’re looking at eh makabalik lang for conditioning exercises ang mga players natin,” said Marcial. “Hindi kami nagmamadali. Health and safety of all remain our paramount concern.”

(What we’re looking at is how the players can return to their teams for conditioning exercises. We’re not rushing things; health and safety of all remain our paramount concern.)

The league has been in hiatus since March 11 after playing just one game,  match between defending champion San Miguel and Magnolia, after the Philippine Cup opened.

Meanwhile, the workforce of the PBA Commissioner’s Office is also set to return to work on Monday after they were tested for COVID-19 and the league’s headquarters were disinfected.

Marcial said that the staff will be in rotation with half of the workforce coming into the office at a time.

“Kapag lumabas na resulta ng test at meron nang transportation (when we get the results and there’s transportation), then we’ll be back to normal office duty,” said Marcial.