PBA Finals Game 1 ticket sales to go to 'Kristine' victims

MANILA, Philippines -- The PBA will be donating the entire ticket proceeds for Game 1 of the PBA Governors’ Cup to those affected by the Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, the league announced Thursday.

Thursday's PBA Finals press conference pushed through despite heavy rains and strong winds brought by “Kristine.”

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas and vice chairman Alfrancis Chua said that the proceeds of Game 1 of the best-of-seven finals between Barangay Ginebra and the TNT Tropang Giga will be given to the Alagang Kapatid Foundation of TV5.

“Yung ibibigay ng PBA para sa nasalanta sa baha, we will entrust it to Alagang Kapatid ng TV5 foundation. So we are entrusting the proceeds to Alagang Kapatid, kilala naman niyo ang Alagang Kapatid,” Vargas told reporters during the press conference at the Enderun Colleges in Taguig City.

“And, Alagang Kapatid will report on how they used the proceeds that were given to them by the PBA. Salamat doon,” he added.

Chua said that the typhoon has been hitting the Philippines hard, which prompted them to decide on providing the proceeds to those affected by the storm.

“May typhoon pero andito pa rin tayo. If you can see anong nangyayari sa bansa natin, mga kapatid natin na nasalanta, so nag-usap kami ni Commissioner, ni chairman, we’ve decided na yung Sunday’s game, yung proceeds nun, lahat, ido-donate namin,” Chua said.

“Lahat yun. Kung saan dadalhin yung pera, si Chairman na ang bahala para ma-distribute namin nang maayos kung saan ibibigay yung konting maitutulong natin sa mga kapwa nating Pilipino,” he added.

“Again, andito tayo, preparing for Sunday’s game and them, they’re there preparing kung may matitirhan sila or may makakain pa. Pagdasal na lang natin sila. So kung sino pang ibang gustong tumulong, nananawagan po ako na sana tulungan natin ang ating mga kapatid.”

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial, for his part, said that he is eyeing to also reach out to other sponsors to possibly raise the donation for the Kristine victims. 

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, a total of 2,124 barangays across the Philippines, including 431,738 families and 2,077,643 individuals, have been affected by Kristine as of Thursday morning. 

There are also seven dead, four injured and seven missing people reported. 

Game 1 of the PBA Finals will be on Sunday, October 27, 7:30 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.