SENATOR Bong Go on Tuesday urged all basketball stakeholders and deep-pocketed backers to come together and fund the naturalization of bigger, tougher foreign reinforcements for Gilas Pilipinas.
Go issued the call as Gilas deals with Asian Games opponents like Bahrain, which will be parading four tall naturalized players that will virtually give the Middle Eastern team an edge in terms of size and talent.
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“Ganun na ang trend eh. Kaya dapat hindi tayo magpaiwan. We have a deep pool of local talents, pero syempre need rin natin ng height and speed, which the naturalization program of FIBA allows,” Go told SPIN.ph.
The longtime PBA fan stressed that Philippine basketball needs all the financial muscle it can muster to secure premium international talent if the national squad wants to consistently compete on the world stage.
Go pointed to the staggering cost associated with the stringent FIBA three-year residency ruling for naturalized players, which requires longterm commitment and massive financial backing to naturalize a player.
FIBA now requires naturalization candidates to undergo a three-year residency, which can only be circumvented through a ‘waive application.'
“Three years yun so magastos for the national sports association like the SBP,” he explained, noting that wealthy, oil-rich nations like Bahrain and Qatar can afford such expenses but not other countries.
However, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports believes that the Filipino "bayanihan" spirit among local basketball patrons can overcome the financial hurdle.
“Inie-encourage ko yung mga teams and companies na magtulungan tayo na kung maaari madagdagan pa yung mga naturalized players natin, yung mga bata to beef up our team,” said Go.
“Huwag yung matanda na natin i-naturalize, baka hindi na masyadong magamit. So yung tutukan natin ito, kung mayroon tayong gustong i-naturalize na players, dapat bata pa sila. At magtulungan yung mga teams na madiskubre itong pwedeng i-naturalize players,” he added.
Aside from scouting towering foreign giants, Go also challenged stakeholders to identify and develop promising Fil-foreign players at a much younger age.
To further strengthen the national cause, the senator is even exploring legislation that would legally mandate homegrown stars playing overseas to prioritize flag and country whenever Gilas Pilipinas comes calling.
“Lalo na ngayon na sa Asian Games, we are the defending champions at sayang, sana yung team natin sa... sa FIBA, sana yung... yung core ng team na 'yon, sana 'yun ang pinadala,” said Go.
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