Placing NCR Under MECQ to Delay Resumption of Training

It seems like Aby Marano has been itching to spike that volleyball in an actual game as the rest of the volleyball community are still patiently waiting for Philippine SuperLiga (PSL) teams to be given the go-signal to hold team practices. And generally, that's the current situation of the entire Philippine sports. Still waiting for certainties. 

While PSL Chairman Philip Ella Juico has said last week that he is hoping to get the go-signal from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases this week, the league will have to wait longer and so are the leagues that as of last week, were given the go-signal to resume team practices.

In heeding the plea of our brave medical front-liners who have been overwhelmed by the sky-rocketing of the number of confirmed cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) that now stands at 103,185 with over 5,000 new cases came in yesterday, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte approved the Cabinet recommendation to put Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, and Bulacan under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) which will run from tomorrow, August 4 until August 18. This means that tighter restriction on non-essential movements which include sports training. In hindsight, leagues like the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the Philippine Football League (PFL) who already have the green light to go back to training, will have to put things on hold again. This will also mean that gyms that were initially allowed to re-open, will be closed down anew.

While this development will mean another round of wait for players and more importantly, for the fans, this is something that the national government needs to do in order for them to get a hold of things and prevent the further overwhelming of the front-liners. But that doesn't mean that sports won't be back in the country. It will be back. Eventually. We just need to wait and be safe. 

Photo is from Volleyverse