PBA, PFL teams expected to begin practicing this week

MANILA, Philippines, July 27 ------ Professional basketball and football teams can finally resume practice this week, after four months of only home workouts because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Baham Mitra, the chairman of the Games and Amusements Board, said Saturday on "The Chasedown" that the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) of GAB, the Philippine Sports Commission, and the Department of Health should be released by Monday.

The JAO is the document that the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) have been waiting for so they can give an official green light to their teams to go back to training, under strict protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "Meron po kaming Joint Administrative Order ng DOH, PSC at saka ng GAB. 'Yun po 'yung maggo-govern sa practice sessions natin," Mitra said. "So ngayon po, napirmahan ko na, si (PSC) Chairman Butch (Ramirez), and of course, Sec. (Francisco) Duque," he added. "Siguro, Monday na lalabas 'yun."

Mitra said that when the JAO is released and disseminated to the PBA and the PFF, then teams can officially begin practicing again. The PFF had submitted protocols on behalf of the Philippines Football League (PFL), which hopes to open its fourth season later this year. The PBA, meanwhile, is also hoping to resume its 45th season which was put on hold on March 11 due to the health crisis. Commissioner Willie Marcial and the Board of Governors will decide next month whether or not to push through with the All-Filipino Cup, or to cancel the season altogether.

"Ako tingin ko, magpa-practice na 'yung PFF saka PBA. Siguro mga Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, practice na 'yan. Kasi basically it's already out, it's finished," said Mitra. "There will be PBA and PFF practices by next week." The Inter-Agency Task Force had approved the protocols submitted by the PBA and the PFF on July 3, but the release of the JAO took some time. According to Mitra, they had long discussions regarding the accountability of the leagues when it comes to following the protocols they had set. "Who will allow them, who will police them, who will inspect before they practice, and who will be with them while they are practicing and make sure that the safety protocols are followed," he said. "There has to be a government agency that will be making sure that the minimum health requirements are followed," he added.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com/sports