MANILA, Philippines – Uncertainty has shrouded the PBA approaching its 43rd season with the impasse among the board of governors still unresolved, but PBA chairman Mikee Romero reiterated that the season will start as planned.

Romero, in another rare public appearance at the league’s press conference for the upcoming season at the Okada Manila on Wednesday, December 13, said that it will be “business as usual” when the PBA returns on Sunday, with the first game to start at 6:45 pm at the Araneta Coliseum.

“The PBA has to move on. Like any company or anything, nasinok kami, now we have to move on katulad ng gagawin namin. That’s why we want the opening to start on December 17 and after that, gusto namin sana, all the 12 governors, basketball na lang paguusapan after the opening,” said Romero.

(The PBA has to move on. Like any company or anything, we had a hiccup and now, we have to move on. That’s why we want the opening to start on December 17 and after that, we want all the 12 governors to talk about basketball only after the opening.)

The board of governors has been divided into two blocs since last month with TNT, NLEX, Meralco, Rain or Shine, Alaska, Blackwater and Phoenix agreeing not to renew Chito Narvasa’s term as league commissioner and San Miguel, Barangay Ginebra, Magnolia, Globalport and Kia pushing to keep Narvasa on board.

After that, the supposed annual season planning in Los Angeles turned into a vacation as some of the governors did not show up.

But with all 12 teams being well-represented in the press conference by governors Robert Non (San Miguel), Rene Pardo (Magnolia), Alfrancis Chua (Ginebra), Ramoncito Fernandez (NLEX), Silliman Sy (Blackwater), Bobby Rosales (Kia), Monbert Mondragon (Rain or Shine), Dicky Bachmann (Alaska), Raymund Zorilla (Phoenix), alternate governor Ryan Gregorio (Meralco) and assistant team manager Magnum Membrere (TNT), Romero (Globalport) is confident that there will be no delays.

“The right time will come when we will come out as a whole. Ang usapan namin lahat, we will now be one voice, not just for that various 12 teams but for the Filipino, lahat ng mga fans ng basketball, we want to be one voice in representing the whole PBA.”

(The right time will come when we will come out as a whole. We all agreed that we will now be one voice, not just for that various 12 teams but for the Filipino, all basketball fans. We want to be one voice in representing the whole PBA.)

“Basketball has to be fought inside the basketball courts and it should remain inside the basketball courts. Any internal problems or whatever that we have, we will deal with it internally, within ourselves, within the 12 of us. We don’t want to elaborate or any more matters.” – Rappler.com