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Para sa Bayan | Mascarinas stressed the importance of playing for the country

By Kevin Estrada

QUEZON CITY -- For Ronald Mascarinas, heeding the call of duty for the country is above everything.

In the launch of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 national team earlier in the afternoon, the man behind the country's leading roast chicken stresses the importance of patriotism in sports, in which they aim for nothing but a slot in Tokyo 2020, where 3x3 basketball make its Olympic debut.

"The whole point of our investment is hindi lang dahil mahal namin ang basketball," he said. "Our primary reason is to restore the spirit of nationalism na nawala na."

He then proceed to launch a mild rant on the way the sport of basketball has been run, where they are always at the mercy at the mother leagues.

"Parang hindi na nahihiya ang mga tao ngayon to refuse, na kelangan ng player to represent the country in international tournaments."

"We can't sent our best because we always compromise," Mascarinas then added, which elicited an applause from the people in attendance at Bar One.

Later on, he has high hopes on the partnership between them and the SBP as they finally launched a streamlined program for 3x3, in which its national side will be composed of full-time players.

"We cannot be beggars all the time. We're doing this to give a fighting chance to qualify for the Olympics."

Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada