MAHARLIKA Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) commissioner Kenneth Duremdes said the vaccination of the players will play a vital role in its target to open the season on September.
Duremdes on Saturday said he hopes that the teams will start getting vaccinated to also help in the league’s bid to seek clearance from the Inter-Agency Task Force to open its Mumbaki Cup.
“We are hoping na by September, ma-ease out na, rollout na ng vaccines, and we want to be sure that everyone is vaccinated para safe tayong lahat at magkaroon tayo ng magandang approval for the IATF and the government,” said Duremdes on Saturday in a press conference organized by Chooks-to-Go.
Due to the pandemic, the MPBL was unable to start its new season in the traditional June 12 date, taking into account the difficulties the league is expected to face when obtaining permission from the IATF due to the big number of teams participating in the next season.
A closed-circuit setup is being eyed by the league with teams travelling from home to venue and back for the duration of the season.
It was already coming off a bubble finals in Subic with Davao Occidental being crowned as the Lakan Season champion over San Juan.
“Meron tayong na-plan na before na nag-change lang ng change due to the pandemic. Meron tayong tinatarget na September for the Mumbaki Cup. Actually, this is the first time na hindi tayo nakapag-open ng June 12. For some reasons, itong pandemic, hindi talaga puwede,” said Duremdes.
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