MANILA, Philippines – The PBA is set to decide on whether it will continue or cancel the Governors’ Cup amid the surge of coronavirus cases in the country.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said on Tuesday, January 18, that he and the board of governors will meet next week to discuss the fate of the import-flavored conference, which is expected to be shelved for the rest of the month.

Scheduled to resume last January 5, the Governors’ Cup instead got postponed indefinitely due to the threat of the fast-spreading Omicron variant.

“We will know if we’re going to continue or not and what our plans will be,” Marcial said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association online forum in a mix of Filipino and English.

“I feel for the team owners because I know they continue to pay for the salary of their players, particularly the imports, who are being paid dollars. But I think they understand our situation.”

The PBA appeared to be heading to the right direction in December last year when it welcomed back live audiences for the first time in almost two years.

For its slate of Christmas Day games, the PBA hosted nearly 5,000 fans at the Araneta Coliseum.

But a surge in COVID-19 cases followed, with Marcial admitting that players and league staff also tested positive for the virus.

Since January 12, the daily tally of new COVID-19 cases in the country has breached the 30,000-mark.

Marcial said February will be a crucial month for the league as it looks to finish the Governors’ Cup.

“Based from what I hear and read, they say that the [number of cases] will plateau and will drop anytime. But others say that it will rise further in February. What we can do is just pray and take care of ourselves.”

The good news for the PBA is that the Games and Amusements Board already recommended the resumption of the conference to the Inter-Agency Task Force.

Also, Pasig City opened its doors to the PBA if it chooses to stage the Governors’ Cup back at the Ynares Sports Arena. – Rappler.com