PBA launches COVID-19 drive

The PBA hopes its new COVID-19 information campaign will help persuade the government to allow the teams to resume their practices. PBA Images (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--"Ituloy ang laban!"

This is the battle cry now of the entire PBA community as Asia's premier professional league has launched its campaign in support of the government's fight against COVID-19.

The league and team officials, coaches, and players are now taking to social media their call to follow the health and safety protocols set amid the pandemic with the hashtag #PBAItuloyAngLaban.

This is also their way of expressing their hope that the PBA can finally push through with its 46th season.

The government previously told Commissioner Willie Marcial and San Miguel Corporation sports director Alfrancis Chua in a meeting that the active COVID-19 cases must first go down drastically before the league can begin preparing for the new season.

"Inilunsad natin ang #PBAItuloyAngLaban upang bigyan diin ang kahalagahan ng pagsunod nating lahat sa mga safety protocols na ipinatutupad ng gobyerno. Ito lang ang paraan upang mapababa natin ang pagkalat ng coronavirus," Marcial said on Wednesday.

The league's COVID-19 drive hashtag is a slight modification to the #PBATuloyAngLaban it used last year when it finally resumed play inside a bubble in Angeles.

For now, the league is hoping for scrimmages to resume by May 16 the soonest.

The PBA got an approval from the Batangas City government to have some arenas there to be practice venues for the teams even as some teams are also looking to hold their own training sessions in Ilocos Norte.

"Hopefully, mapagbigyan tayo ng IATF sa ating kahilingan," Marcial said.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno