A HERO'S homecoming awaits Blackwater's young big man Mac Belo every time he returns to his hometown of Midsayap in North Cotabato.
Reunions with his family, with whom he remains very close, brings him so much joy. With four brothers and a sister, he spent his growing-up years really close to his siblings. He and his brothers would often be playing hoops.
“Sa Cotabato kasi kahit saang kanto ka pumunta may nagba-basketball," Belo told SPIN Life. "Kaming magkakapatid naging pastime namin ‘yon. Mga court namin dati, lupa lang, mga nakapaa lang kami. Naglalaru-laro lang sa mga liga sa barangay, pero sobrang saya."
The 6-foot-4 forward also admitted that back in their time, basketball was only about fun and games in the province.
“Doon kasi sa 'min, walang nagtuturo, walang coaches masyado. Hindi ako maalam sa mga terms at mga technical [skills],” he said.
A shy type who's known to duck media interviews, this Cotabato big man has kept a low profile - until he proved too big to overlook.
“Mahiyain talaga ako dati pa. So sumasama-sama lang talaga ako sa mga kuya ko at sa mga kaibigan ko. Hanggang nag-college, naglaro kami sa Manila for CHED National Games, tapos ‘dun ako na-scout,” he said.
You may have heard about what happened next: Wanting to further his career in the collegiate level, Mac had to choose between Far Eastern University or Jose Rizal University. It was a tough choice — and one he had to make via SMS. As if that wasn't stressful enough, Mac only had a peso worth of load left in his mobile phone at the time.
The moment he stepped on the asphalts of the metro to take on his collegiate journey with the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, however, Belo knew his life would be different.
That doesn't mean, though, that his transition to the UAAP was smooth from the get-go. “Sobrang takot ako non, biruin mo, first time ko makakita ng mga matataas na building. Na-culture shock talaga ‘ko. Yun lang din first time na humiwalay ako sa family ko. Takot na takot akong maligaw non,” he told SPIN LIFE.
He was a teenager back then, and coming from a big close-knit family of eight, the 27-year-old probinsyano recalled how he struggled to cope with the usual routines of the busy city.
What kept him from feeling lost was his deep-seated desire to make his PBA dream come true. Ever the workhorse, he knew success would require sacrifice.
“Araw-araw after classes and trainings nasa dorm lang ako, hindi ako lumalabas. Tawag ako nang tawag sa pamilya ‘ko kasi nami-miss ko sila, hindi talaga ako sanay,” he said.
With the help of his teammates, who eventually became his family away from home, Mac got comfortable with the setup.
"Siguro naging super-close ako kasi mga teammates ko kaya napadali. 'Yan sila Carl Bryan Cruz, Aldrech Ramos, malaking tulong sa adjustments. Sa FEU kasi, magkakasama kami sa dorm, kami ang nagluluto, sabay-sabay kakain. Pantay kami lahat, walang hierarchy," he shared.
To this day, only he and veteran player PJ Simon have been the products of North Cotabato who made it to the PBA. Hence, the fiesta-flavored reception in Midsayap each time Belo comes home.
“Grabe ang suporta ng mga kababayan ko. Feeling ko tuwing uuwi ako, hindi ako magugutom, lahat pinapatuloy ako para kumain. Isang malaking pamilya ‘yung bayan namin,” he said.
Perhaps not wanting to let his hometown down, Belo has grown to become the consummate pro in the big leagues — blue collar and determined to get even better in the years to come.
Of course, he dreams of bringing a championship or two to the rebuilding Blackwater Bossings franchise along the way, but Mac's greatest wish is to see fellow gifted probinsyanos make it big in the PBA - and for the PBA to one day hold a game in his beloved province.
“Pangarap kong sunod, makarating sana ang PBA sa amin," said Mac. "Gusto kong bigyan ng inspirasyon ang mga bata don na mangarap, kasi para sa akin, basketball is a life-changer, maraming opportunity ang matatanggap mo. Ito na ang trabaho ko, at ito rin ‘yung pinagmumulan ng tulong ko sa pamilya at bayan ko.”
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