MPBL Remains Persistent on Subic Bubble, Staying Amateur

The last time the Davao Occidental Tigers played an official Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) game was on March 11, 2020, when they scored an 81-76 Game Two victory against the Basilan Steel that forced a Game Three in the South Division Finals. Almost a year later and counting, there is no clarity yet as to how the MPBL playoffs will continue. Or will it even continue? 

While non-professional leagues are yet to be allowed by government agencies to operate amid the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the MPBL remains persistent in their hopes to hold a bubble in Subic Bay to complete the remainder of the 2019-2020 season.  

Recently, Senator Manny Pacquiao, the MPBL founder, assured the public that the MPBL will indeed continue with the postponed playoffs and that, the league has already submitted its own COVID-19 protocols to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases for approval.  MPBL is hoping that the IATF will approve its protocols this month in hopes of resuming the playoffs next month.

The league is trying to replicate what the Philippine SuperLiga (PSL) achieved when it waS allowed to hold a beach volleyball bubble despite the PSL being an amateur league like the MPBL.  

Both North and South Division Finals are tied at 2-2 with the Makati Super Crunch trying to dethrone the defending champions, San Juan Knights in the North Finals. MPBL also remained keen on staying as an amateur league. 

Photo is from Spin.ph