MORE financial assistance are coming in the way of game-day employees of the PBA.
Rallied by Alaska coach Jeff Cariaso, the PBA family has done its share and raised a total of P800K to be evenly split out to non-regular employees of the league whose jobs were affected after the new season was called off in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Cariaso disclosed that half of the amount had already been handed out, with the other half to be disbursed in the next few days.
“Close to half had been disbursed. There’s a limit kasi on bank to bank transfers so it’s taking longer for everyone to receive. But we’ll get through,” he said Saturday.
Non-regular staff of the league received earlier this week a separate financial assistance provided by the PBA Board after the season stopped operation the last two weeks when the National Capital Region – and later the entire Luzon – was put under the enhance community quarantine in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Commissioner Willie Marcial refused to divulge the amount pitched in by the Board, but just the same enough to compensate the league’s non-regular employees such as table officials (including barkers), stats personnel, venue porters, parking OIC, blue/boys, other entertainment, operations, and technical people who are only paid on a game-day basis.
Cariaso likewise doesn’t want to disclose the amount his group managed to raise, but for ‘transparency’s sake,’ allowed that the total money raised be published nonetheless.
“It’s been awesome the last two weeks with many supporting the cause,” said the Alaska mentor, who was the first to answer the call to help financially non-regular members of the league in this trying times.
Along with Cariaso, also initially pitching in are the Alaska organization and owner Wilfred S. Uytengsu, and players Chris Ross, Cliff Hodge, and CJ Perez.
In all, 42 personalities pitched in and they include (in alphabetical order), Kevin Alas, coach Franco Atienza, Kris Atienza, MJ Ayaay, Richard Bachmann, Mark Barroca, Aaron and coach Norman Black, Blackwater Elite, Harvey Carey, JV Casio, coach Aboy Castro, coach Tim Cone, Jericho Cruz, Mike Digregorio, Tony Dela Cruz, Joe Devance, Poy Erram, June Mar Fajardo, Abel Galiguez, Monch Gavieres, Sol Mercado, Gabe Norwood, Jason Perkins, Von Pessumal, Marc Pingris, Stanley Pringle, coach Olsen Racela, Nikko Ramos, JC Reyes, Troy Rosario, Nico Salva, Jeron Teng, Sonny Thoss, team manager Paolo Trillo, Kiko and Dom Tuason, and Dominic Uy.
“PBA non-regular employees rely heavily on the games to earn a wage. Thought it would be a nice gesture to create something for them,” said Cariaso.
“Small way of giving those within our own industry some help during this time.”
Meanwhile, a similar undertaking this time, to extend financial help to the league’s production team, has also rolled on under the initiative of play-by-play and game analyst Chuck Araneta, who earlier mounted the task of giving coffee, foods, and medical supplies to health workers who are at the frontline to help Filipinos survive and be safe from the danger of the coronavirus.
“In case anyone wants to support it,” said Cariaso.
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