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| The team owners of the MPPT's charter clubs. Ivan Saldajeno |
MAKATI—Twelve teams will compete in the inaugural staging of the Maharlika Pilipinas Pickleball Tour this October.
Clubs representing the province of Abra and its capital town of Bangued, Pampanga, Muntinlupa, Alfonso, Tacloban, Batangas, Rizal, Bacoor, Camarines Norte, Parañaque, and General Santos accepted the challenge to join the MPPT Invitational, the first tournament of Manny Pacquiao's latest sports management venture.
The case of Abra and Bangued is not entirely new in a Pacquiao-owned league as the MPBL also has two teams representing the same area in its ongoing eighth season, Bacolod and Negros.
Meanwhile, Tacloban will have some star power as actress Karla Estrada leads the team management.
"Very excited po kami na makasama dito," Estrada said during the MPPT's press launch on Friday at the Dusit Thani Manila Ballroom here.
On the other hand, Muntinlupa's MPPT appearance marked the city's return to a Pacquiao endeavor since the Cagers moved their MPBL franchise to Bulacan to become the Meycauayan Marilao Gems.
"We're very proud to be representing Muntinlupa in this endeavor," said Enzo.
The Chefs will host MPPT's debut leg on Oct. 3-4 in Angeles.
Three more preliminary legs will happen every two weeks afterward, and the eight best teams after the four-leg regular season will return for the championship leg in December.
Each preliminary leg, according to MPPT CEO Joe Ramos, will have a PHP1 million pot and is expected to be larger in the December finale.
The MPPT Invitational serves as a preseason event ahead of the 2027 calendar, the league's first full season, starting in February.
The MPPT is the second bona fide professional pickleball league in the country following the founding of the corporate-based PYCL earlier this year.
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