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THE Clark Development Corp. (CDC) welcomed the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) decision to choose the free port as the bubble venue for the league’s 45th season Philippine Cup.
The president of the PBA, Ricky Vargas, cited the suitability of the free port to host the bubble in terms of security, protocol control, proximity to hospitals and its ability to take care of the mental health of the players during the bubble.
CDC, along with the Database Development and Conversion Authority, expressed their joy at the PBA’s decision.
“We express our appreciation to the PBA Board of Governors for selecting Clark for their bubble tournament and we look forward to helping the PBA begin the actual preparations on site,” said CDC President and CEO Noel. Manankil.
NLEX Road Warriors head coach Yeng Guiao said Clark is more than capable of meeting the PBA’s bubble requirements, including accommodation, security and proximity. He said Clark has first-class amenities suitable for such a large event.
With the league adopting a full bubble format, the 12 PBA teams will be staying at the Quest Hotel within the free port for two months. They will then be transported to gyms in the free port for training and preparation.
Players, crew and officials are expected to arrive in Clark on September 26, and practice games are scheduled to begin on September 27.
The Cultural and Sports Center of the Angeles University Foundation will be the official venue of the Philippine Cup.
Clark has been a favorite destination for numerous sport-related activities and has been recognized by the Philippine Sports Tourism Awards as the “Sports Destination of the Year” for 2015 and 2018. It has also hosted several international and local events, including the 30th Southeast Asian Games last December.
The PBA board of governors decided Thursday night to resume the season that was abruptly stopped in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic despite government restrictions on indoor and team sports while quarantines are imposed.
The league chose Clark over half a dozen other potential bubbles, including Subic, El Nido in Palawan, Smart Araneta Coliseum, and even Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
Only one match was played in the Philippine Cup that opened in March.
