Legends Cup to put in focus disaster awareness

MANILA, Philippines - A basketball tournament for a cause will soon be launched in an effort to create disaster preparation awareness.

Cage great Chito Loyzaga in cooperation with the Sports Legends Managers Inc., is spearheading the formation of the Legends Cup, a regular basketball meet featuring legendary players of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) from different eras.

Play the game closest to the hearts of every Filipino and at the same time, make people aware of how to be prepared when disaster strikes is the main goal of the weekly tournament.     

“This is open to everyone who played in the PBA from the 70s, 80s, 90s and onwards. We just want to use the game as a platform to disaster preparedness,” said Loyzaga in the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at Shakey’s Malate on Tuesday.

Loyzaga, who serves as executive director, was joined in the session by Sports Legends Managers Inc., president Dick Balajadia, civil military operations official General Boy Santiago, and National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) officials Mina Marasigan and Col. Ed Sadang.

Balajadia said his group is looking to start the league by March, although the format and other rules that will govern the tournament are still being discussed.

“It’s an advocacy of helping other people be prepared with disaster,” said Balajadia in the forum presented by Accel, Shakey’s, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). “We see the league as one of the few organizations that will be pro-active in disaster preparations.