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MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao continues to have a soft spot for basketball as the boxing legend looks to expand his pro basketball league to the grassroots level.
Pacquiao unveiled the Junior Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), where kids can test and hone their skills against other young athletes nationwide starting next month.
“We want to discover our homegrown, grassroots players who are into basketball,” MPBL founder Manny Pacquiao said in a media event on Thursday, June 15 at Vivere Alabang.
“Filipinos are really in love with basketball, and that is why we are giving these kids a chance, accommodate them and be able to showcase their basketball talent.”
The Junior MPBL, set to launch on July 9, will feature three age groups – U18, U16, and U14 – as 18 teams to date have confirmed participation.
Set to be televised over their MPTV channel on the Cignal pay TV service, the Junior MPBL plans to hold games regularly during the school break, before shifting to a weekend-only affair when classes start.
Teams from Antipolo; Batangas City; Bauan, Batangas; Caloocan; Cavite City; Dasmariñas City, Cavite; Imus City, Cavite; Las Piñas; Leyte; and Malabon will see action, said league commissioner Keith Picazo.
Mandaluyong; Marikina; Muntinlupa; Pampanga; Quezon City; Quezon Province; Rizal Province; and San Pedro, Laguna also confirmed participation, while Iloilo is in talks to join.
Games will be played in different venues, including the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City, Batangas City Coliseum, Bauan Sports Complex in Batangas, Ynares Center Antipolo, Villar Coliseum in Las Piñas, and the Malabon Sports Complex.
Pacquiao to support Gilas in World Cup
Pacquiao, the eight-division world boxing champion known as a longtime basketball fan, said the MPBL will also give way to the country’s hosting of the FIBA World Cup from August 25 to September 10.
“We will stop to support the Philippines and stop the MPBL and Junior MPBL so we can watch the games personally,” said Pacquiao.
The former senator said he’ll support Gilas Pilipinas and watch at least one of its games in Group A action, where Filipinos will battle the Dominican Republic, Italy, and Angola.
While Pacquiao remains focused on his basketball league and other business, he admitted he is still on the fence when it comes to a political comeback.
Based on a recent SWS survey conducted last April 15 to 18, the former solon was the most preferred choice of local voters if the midterm elections were to be held today.
“I thank… the support of the people, we are always committed to serve the people properly,” said Pacquiao, who was a distant third in the 2022 presidential elections.
“But currently, I am focused on expanding my businesses, especially my family but we continue to help the less fortunate.”
Aside from politics, Pacquiao admitted he’s also not ruling out a return to the boxing ring. – Rappler.com
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