Sports Eye
Inter-Town/City cagefest still off
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
AN urgent meeting was held last Wednesday (March 11) among the quarterfinalists’ team officials in the 4th Governor’s Cup Pangasinan Inter-Town/City Basketball Tournament at the office of the Pangasinan Sports Development and Management Council (PSDMC). Also in attendance were province’s two sports honchos Modesto Operania and Marlon Domalanta, overall league’s commissioner Dr. Edilberto Abalos and the Provincial Health officer Anna de Guzman.
The main agenda was the status of the dreaded virus, COVID-19. The second agenda was the resumption of the province-wide tournament that was postponed after the February 9 hostilities.
Dr. De Guzman who presided the discussion on the COVID-19 gave tips on how to avoid the scary virus, summing it up to always be hygienic and always be careful in our movements during these critical days, and with the news that Region 1 especially Pangasinan province is COVID-19 FREE. That made us heave a sigh of relief.
Moving forward, Operania and Domalanta initially confirmed that the province-wide skirmishes now in quarterfinals (Group A and B) will resume starting on March 14, and all of the remaining games will all be played the at Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) gym in Lingayen with some guidelines and protocols to be observed before entering the gym, etc. But after completing my initial draft of this piece in the afternoon of March 12 on the announced resumption, Mr. Henry Escleto of PSDMC staff texted me that the supposed resumption of the beautiful league as agreed upon last March 11, was called off anew due to the DOH’s report citing an increase in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila, (PH with 49 confirmed infections as of this writing).
However, some sports organizations are reportedly ignoring the DOH warning. Among them are the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), 2020 Ronda Pilipinas, The Country Club Invitational in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, PAL Men’s Inter-Club in Bacolod City, Davis Cup World Group ll playoff held in Philippine Columbian Association clay-shell court, 82nd 2020 UAAP Volleyball Tournament, Philippine Super Liga Volleyball Tournament, PBA D-League Aspirants Cup in Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City and the largest crowd-drawer of tournaments PBA that started last Sunday (March 8). However, PBA suspended its second game last March 11 on DOH’s advice and will remain suspended until further notice by PBA chairman Ricky Vargas.
Not a few Netizens on social media are wondering, some even asked me, why this is (now) happening to the world, worse than the SARS. I could only suggest just to read the Holy Bible and they can find the clear answers to their questions in the Book of Matthew 24: 7, Acts 2: 19, Romans 12: 19, especially Jeremiah 11: 11, among others. Personally, I’m not concerned, neither scared nor worried because I know this was prophesied in the Good Book and to happen. Amen.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And Jesus Christ said, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. MATTHEW 24: 42-44
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