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| Jaycee Marcelino and the rest of the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards will skip the 2026 MPBL season. MPBL (file photo) |
QUEZON CITY--Nueva Ecija, one of the top contenders in the MPBL, will not see action in its upcoming eighth season after announcing that it is taking a leave of absence.
The team confirmed on Friday speculations regarding its future in the professional league founded by boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.
"Sa aming mga minamahal na Novo Ecijanos at sa lahat na sumusuporta sa Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards sa mga nakaraang taon, nais naming ibalita na hindi muna sasali ang ating koponan sa MPBL 2026," the team said in a statement.
The Rice Vanguards, though, clarified that they are leaving the regional league for good after letting go of their entire lineup last year.
"Hindi ito paalam. Ito ay pansamantalang leave of absence lamang sa MPBL hanggang sa ating muling pagbabalik," the statement further reads.
Nueva Ecija joined the MPBL in time for the league's third season from 2019-2021, but the club, somehow expected of expansion franchises, struggled in their first crack, going 10-20.
However, the Palayan-based dribblers went on a massive overhaul for the 2022 season, acquiring key players from Basilan and even its coaching staff, led by head coach Jerson Cabiltes.
With a more solid lineup, the Rice Vanguards won a then-Philippine record 25 straight games to open Season 4 en route to the title.
They remained competitive despite relinquishing the championship, even threatening a repeat of their historic 2022 start by winning their first 18 games last year, until they got bludgeoned at home against the Abra Weavers.
Abra would go on to break Nueva Ecija's record by winning its last 36 games en route to the championship.
The Rice Vanguards finished second behind the Weavers in the North Division at the end of the regular season
However, Nueva Ecija was stunned by seventh-seeded Pangasinan, made up of the core of the former's 2022 title team, in the first round of the playoffs.
Word quickly spread earlier this month that the Rice Vanguards released the remainder of their 2025 team, including Don Dulay and the rest of his coaching staff.
They already let go of Chris Manaytay right after their shock early playoff exit so he can quickly join the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, who drafted 10th overall in last September's PBA Draft.
Former Converge head coach Aldin Ayo was even rumored to spearhead Nueva Ecija's rebuild as its new head coach, but the team decided to skip the 2026 season instead.
However, the team's statement came nearly two hours after Pacquiao issued a warning to teams that will go on LOA for 2026.
According to the former eight-division world champion, filing for a LOA is no longer allowed since 2023.
"During the pandemic, the MPBL allowed leave of absences for a limited period of time in order for our franchise owners to recover from a devastating situation we all faced. However, since the 2023 MPBL season, that policy has since lapsed and been rescinded, which has been clearly communicated to each team owner. Let me make it very clear to our fans, supporters, and stakeholders, there are no longer leave of absences allowed in the MPBL for any reason," Pacquiao said in a statement posted on the MPBL's social media pages.
He then said that teams opting to skip this season may face the revocation of their franchises, plus other possible penalties.
At least one other team, the Heatwaves, is also considering taking a LOA this year.
San Juan was also rumored to be taking a leave, but the team made a huge surprise by signing four key players from the University of the Philippines.
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