MANILA, Philippines – As dangerous and stacked San Miguel may be, it has yet to reach full strength.

The Beermen are still without star guard Terrence Romeo, who seeks to come back stronger than ever as he continues to recuperate from a back injury that has sidelined him for more than two months.

Romeo made a rare PBA appearance on Wednesday, August 24, and watched San Miguel pull off a 109-100 win over TNT that tied the Philippine Cup finals at one game apiece.

“The injury is still there so I need time for healing. But when it heals, what’s important is I’m conditioned so I will not have a hard time when I return,” Romeo said in Filipino.

“I don’t know when, but I’m sure I will come back stronger than I was before.”

Although removed from his old scoring ways that saw him get crowned Scoring Champion thrice, Romeo has been a key figure for the Beermen.

The last time San Miguel won a championship in the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup, the flamboyant guard earned the Finals MVP honors, a proof of his massive contributions since he joined the storied franchise nearly four years ago.

Despite missing a chance to see action in another finals, Romeo is taking his recovery slow.

“Of course, I want to help, but it is what it is. There are things that are out of our control, what’s important is what we become after everything we’ve gone through,” Romeo said.

Romeo rates himself between 40 to 50 percent from his top form.

“When I get the go signal from the doctor, I’ll play again. But what I’m prioritizing is how I can strengthen my body while my injury is healing.” – Rappler.com