Sports bubbles will stay in 2021.

Games and Amusements Board (GAB) chair Abraham “Baham” Mitra reiterated on Friday, February 12 during the Laging Handa briefing that sports leagues and training camps will continue to be staged in bubble setups regardless of the government’s vaccine plans.

“Maybe it’s going to come in the next amendment, but sa ngayon eh ganoon pa rin po eh, bubble concept, eh ayaw naman natin na magkaroon ng aksidente at pag-uwi nila, madamay pa iyong mga pamilya nila at masisi pa iyong sports,” said Mitra.

(Maybe it’s going to come in the next amendment, but for now, we’re still going for the bubble concept because we don’t want accidents to happen and when they come out of the bubbles, their families will be affected and sports will be blamed.)

Last year, the PBA, Philippines Football League (PFL), and Chooks-to-Go 3×3 league were able to successfully stage their compressed seasons in bubble setups.

The recently-professionalized Premier Volleyball League (PVL) is also set to take off on April 10 in a bubble at the National University (NU) Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

The prioritization of Filipino athletes in the country’s vaccination plan is already in the works as well.

Last January 26, Deputy House Speaker Mikee Romero filed a resolution that will allow Filipino athletes set to participate in the Tokyo Olympics and the 2021 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination.

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) also announced that Enrique Razon, who will be bringing in 20 million doses of the mRNA-1273 vaccine developed by US-based Moderna, will be providing the vaccines of Tokyo Olympics-bound athletes.

With the recent developments in the country’s battle against COVID-19, Mitra is more determined to make sure that sports doesn’t stop.

“We’re very happy na nandiyan na iyong national rollout ng vaccines but the sports should not stop eh,” added Mitra.

(We’re very happy that national rollout of vaccines is coming, but sports should not stop.) – Rappler.com