Salud: SMC’s PBA franchises ‘unshakeable’

MANILA, Philippines – PBA commissioner Chito Salud on Tuesday lauded San Miguel Corporation’s stint in the PBA despite the Renaldo Balkman incident, which somehow dragged the name and tainted the image of the giant food and beverage conglomerate.

In a statement, Salud put in high regard the reputation of SMC’s three teams in the PBA.

“Petron/SMC franchise's reputation is solid and unshakeable. I respectfully disagree with anyone who will say otherwise, much more on the basis of an import's individual and singular act. It just isn't the case,” Salud said.

Apart from Petron, SMC owns the Barangay Ginebra Kings and the San Mig Coffee Mixers.

Salud’s statement came on the cusp of SMC’s supposed plan to reevaluate its participation in the PBA after the league banned Balkman for life for his meltdown during Petron’s game against Alaska last Friday.

The PBA commissioner cracked the whip on Balkman even as the former New York Knick and Denver Nugget issued a public apology in a meeting with him in the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City yesterday noon.

Balman lost his cool after being called a foul in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter against Alaska, venting his ire on his teammates and even choking Arwind Santos at one point. Aside from a lifetime ban, Balkman was also slapped a fine of Php250,000 for his actions.

“Our reputation is of utmost importance to us because we have worked hard to cultivate this good name through the decades. But it takes only one unfortunate incident like this to undo all our efforts,” said SMC in a statement released yesterday.

“As such, given the possible long-term effect of this incident to the San Miguel organization's image, and in consideration of our need to preserve our good reputation, management has decided to re-evaluate the company’s continuing participation in the PBA,” the statement added.

Salud, meanwhile, praised the SMC group and its leaders, pointing out the company’s lengthy stint in the PBA.

“The SMC group is a great franchise run by great leaders. I know many of them personally and I only have great respect for them. Mr. [Danding] Cojuangco and Mr. [Ramon] Ang are pillars of Philippine society who I have followed and admired ever since. The PBA and their franchise have been together for a long, long time and that's valuable in every respect,” he said.