COMING off Gilas Pilipinas Women's success in the 30th Southeast Asian Games last year, an all-pro women's league was supposedly in the works until the global COVID-19 pandemic put everything on a halt.
"That was the program that we’re supposed to install this year," bared Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) program director for women and concurrent Gilas Women head coach Pat Aquino.
It would've been a perfect encore for the Filipina ballers, with the Philippines capturing the gold medals in both 3x3 basketball and women's 5-on-5, a first for the country.
But rather than mope, the federation is focusing on building the women's game from the ground up, starting with existing collegiate leagues like the UAAP.

Aquino told Coaches Unfiltered that the key in helping the sport grow is through promotions and exposing the public on the existence of such tournaments.
"We want to get the UAAP exposed so that more audience can watch the game," he said.
Aquino, also the National University head coach who owns the immaculate 96-game win streak, did admit that the system hasn't really helped the sport as a whole with the considerations it has been given.
"We are playing at 8 in the morning, and who will watch at 8 o' clock in the morning game? That’s one thing," he said. "Like sa volleyball nga, yung men’s team ganoon din before. But now, they are letting the men’s team play at 12 or 2 o clock before the women’s game na talagang more popular than the men’s game. So sana rin ganoon yung suporta na makuha rin namin."

Doing that won't only help in opening the public's eyes to the prowess of Filipina lady ballers but also pave the way for relevant businesses to support the women's game.
As of now, Ever Bilena has been at the forefront of helping the growth of women's basketball in the country.
Aquino wishes that there could be more, and it all starts in the game's promotion.
"By doing that, magkakaroon ng enthusiasm yung mga nanonood na may women’s basketball pala at maganda rin panuorin," he said.
"When you watch women’s basketball, talagang it’s very exciting. All heart sila lahat and they all want to prove themselves, and that’s one thing that I really love about women’s basketball now. It’s that they do it passionately and with all heart talaga kung maglaro."
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