As the PBA wraps up its current season with the on-going finals of the Governors Cup, Commissioner Willie Marcial has only but kind words for Pampanga Governor Dennis Pineda for the success of past two recent bubble tournaments of the league held in Pampanga.
During Tuesday’s unveiling of the Converge FiberXers team of the country’s pure fiber internet provider, Marcial took the opportunity to recall the assistance given by the governor in staging the bubble set-up in Pampanga.
“Si Governor Pineda ang laking tulong sa amin sa PBA. Noong first bubble namin siya ang tumulong, siya rin ang nag facilitate kung paano ang set-up namin. Kung sino pupuntahan kapag may nag positive. Noong 2nd bubble siya tumulong para makakuha ng court at hotel. Sa amin at sa akin ang laking tulong ni Gov Pineda,” Marcial said during the press conference.
It will be recalled that the PBA’s first bubble tournament was held in Clark Freeport and Angeles City from November 3 to December 9, 2020. PBA players, coaching and team staff, including PBA technical officials were billeted to and from Quest Hotel in Clark Freeport. They were ferried to and from the Sports and Cultural Arena of the Angeles University Foundation for practices and actual games.
The bubble league was also made possible through the help of the Bases Conversion Development Authority and Clark Development Corporation whose officials pushed for the PBA to hold its 45th season in Clark.
The second bubble set-up had games played at Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga, with some teams staying in dedicated hotels in the City of San Fernando, Angeles City, and Clark.
For his part, Converge team owner Dennis Anthony Uy expressed appreciation to Pineda for his continuing support to Philippine basketball, particularly in the PBA where the latter has discovered many players from amateur ranks onwards to stardom. They include Arwind Santos, Calvin Abueva and Ian Sanggalang.
The Governor was tapped to serve as the FiberXers’ team consultant for player development.
