PBA board to cheer Gilas in WC, Asiad

MANILA, Philippines - The PBA board of governors, led by new chairman Patrick Gregorio and commissioner Chito Salud, flies in batches to Spain to provide morale support to Gilas Pilipinas vying in the 2014 FIBA World Championship.

The PBA officials will also be cheering for Team Phl in the Asian Games in Incheon, Korea where they set their planning session for the coming season of Asia’s first play-for-pay cage league.

Gregorio, the new chair who took over from Mon Segismundo, leads the first batch that takes a long journey to Seville, Spain via Dubai and Madrid tonight.

“Our national team is out for so long. Our count is 40 days. To join them as they go to battle is the best thing we could do. We’ll show ‘here we are supporting you 100 percent,’” said Gregorio, the Maynilad executive vice president who’s representing Talk n Text in the PBA board.

“We realized normal basketball fans are going to Seville to cheer for our team. As Philippine basketball stakeholders and members of the PBA board, we have to do that as well. It’s the PBA board’s obligation to show support to the Gilas boys,” Gregorio also said.

In Incheon, Korea, the PBA board will also cheer for Team Phl and chart its courses of action for the coming PBA Season 40.

“I have plans initially discussed with the board. I have requested the commissioner to review the initial concept. We’ll discuss it lengthily in Incheon,” the amiable board chief said.

Gregorio, 47, is excited with his term where the league celebrates its fourth decade of existence.  

“Technically, next year pa sana ako. My term was advanced on the demise of San Miguel Beer’s Ely Capacio. San Miguel requested for a swap of terms, and I’m thankful they allowed that considering it’s the league’s 40th year. It’s an exciting year and the popularity of the league is at its peak,” he said.

A UP cum laude and TOYM (The Outstanding Young Men) awardee in 2003, Gregorio is expected to lead the PBA to greater heights.

Married to former Binibining Pilipinas Tourism Marichele Cruz with children Martin, Patricia and Angela, Gregorio knows his basketball and the ins and outs of the PBA, being a former player who’s been with the PBA board for years now.

After working for three years with the Department of Tourism, he became a hotelier, rising to become the general manager and president of Waterfront Cebu.

There was where he met business magnate Manny V. Pangilinan who brought him over to be the first executive director of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and later the pioneer chief of Smart Sports.

He had his stint as a player with UPIS in the early 80s.

“Ramil Cruz was my teammate and we played with Jerry Codiñera, Bennet Palad, Gilbert Reyes, Rabi Tomacruz and Bong Hawkins. We won one game and we also had a bonfire then,” he said, laughing.

“I thought of trying out for our seniors team later. I didn’t push it through as I saw in the gym two guys and the back of their jerseys reading (Ronnie) Magsanoc and (Eric) Altamirano,” he also said.