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| An area near the UP-Ayala Land TechnoHub will soon be the new home of the PBA. |
MANILA—After a few years of being at a standstill, the PBA can now begin visualizing the place it can call its permanent home.
League commissioner Willie Marcial revealed on Wednesday that the PBA is now looking at acquiring a four-hectare lot currently under the University of the Philippines' jurisdiction in Quezon City so it can finally build the long-awaited home arena.
The Philippine Sports Commission joined as well in the preliminary talks between the PBA and UP for the construction of the "House of PBA".
“Naka ilang meeting na rin yung committee. Si Secretary (Jonvic) Remulla ang nagpi-preside,” said Marcial in an interview posted on the PBA website.
Remulla, one of the Fighting Maroons' chief backers, is joined by UP Diliman chancellor Carlo Vista on the side of the academe.
Marcial and team governors Bill Pamintuan, Jason Webb, and Raymond Zorilla represent the PBA, while PSC chairman Pato Gregorio, a former PBA board chairman, was also in the initial meetings.
According to Marcial, once a formal memorandum of agreement is in place, the groundbreaking can now commence at the site, which is near the UP-Ayala Land TechnoHub.
The new PBA coliseum, which is expected to seat up to 10,000 fans, can also host UP-related events as part of an arena-sharing deal between the two sides.
The concept of having a permanent PBA home already surfaced during the time of former commissioner and PSC chairman Noli Eala in the late 2000s.
Eala envisioned the arena to be built along the corner of McKinley Parkway, Carlos Garcia Avenue, and 26th Street in Taguig, but the initial plan was shelved, and SM eventually bought the area to build SM Aura.
The league revived the home arena idea in 2024, and former Ilocos Sur governor Chavit Singson offered a part of Metrowalk in Pasig as the site of the venue.
Eventually, the PBA decided to join forces with the PSC and UP to have its new home along the TechnoHub complex.
