MPBL launches social arm to aid former players

MANILA, Philippines -- There’s more to the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) than just exciting games.

In a commendable cause, the league, owned by world boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, has launched the MPBL Kalinga aimed at providing help for all its former and current players in need of medical assistance.

The MPBL Kalinga, in just the first day of its noble mission, already had one beneficiary of necessary medical aid in Patrick Cabahug, a former player for Valenzuela and Cebu, due to his Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare immune disorder.

“Tutulong itong MPBL Kalinga sa mga players na akapaglaro sa MPBL. Tutulong sa mga pangangailangan nila,” said the eight-division world champion Pacquiao, also a former senator.

The MPBL Kalinga will also include coaches, staff, officials, utility and all other personalities under the league in the middle of its fifth season featuring cities and provinces around the country playing a distinct home-and-away format.

Even homegrown athletes down to the barangay levels may reach out to the league for needed aid as the MPBL puts a premium on its social responsibility beyond basketball with the “Kalinga” program.

“Ito ‘yung start but moving forward, anybody that has played for us na naghahanap ng tulong. Tutulungan namin,” added MPBL chief executive Joe Ramos, who was joined by league commissioner Kenneth Duremdes.

The funding for the noble cause will come from the potential fines and penalties on any infractions the current players and coaches may commit.

The MPBL Kalinga is just one of Pacquiao's new projects for the MPBL, which has a bevy of programs and initiatives in the works next season including a possible expansion from 29 teams.

But that can wait as Pacquiao beams with excitement to crown the new MPBL champion among the four teams left standing – Pampanga and San Juan from the North, and Bacoor and Batangas from the South.

“Sino kaya ang magiging champion ng 2023 MPBL? Hindi mo masigurado kasi iba ang playoffs, iba ang finals. Bilog ang bola so ‘di mo ma-predict kung sino talaga mananalo. Maraming pwedeng mangyari,” said Pacquiao.

The division finals, in a best-of-three format, fires off this weekend at the home turfs of North’s No. 1 seed Pampanga and South’s top-ranked Bacoor against the visitors, with the winners arranging a date in the national finals.