PBA cancels All-Star festivities

MANILA, Philippines, June 12 ------ The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) on Tuesday confirmed that it will not hold All-Star festivities this year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The league was scheduled to hold its All-Star Game and other events in Passi, Iloilo, in July. As recently as April, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial was still optimistic that it would push through, and said the league was exploring an "innovative format."

However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the PBA to cancel the festivities instead. "Sigurado 'yun, postponed muna kasi one conference na lang tayo," said Marcial during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday. The PBA is hoping to get the go-signal to return to practices, after submitting a set of protocols to the Inter-Agency Task Force and the Department of Health last week. If they get approval, the league plans to continue the All-Filipino Cup later this year, after it was paused in March due to the pandemic.

The cramped schedule leaves no time for the All-Star event. "Magbobotohan pa tayo, kakausapin pa natin 'yung venue. Katulad ng venue, as of now, papayag ba 'yung venue na pupunta tayo doon by October or September, 'di ba?" said Marcial. "At 'yung mga venues sa probinsya, ginagamit din nila para sa COVID, kung 'di ako nagkakamali," he added. "As of now, cancelled ang All-Star, ire-resume ulit natin by next year." Marcial said if the local government of Passi agrees, they will hold the All-Star events there next year.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com/sports