SIX years since the inception of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), founder Manny Pacquiao continues his mission of local sports development with a new volleyball league.
Beginning October, the inaugural Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) takes center stage.
Home-and-away, community-based tournament
World boxing's lone eight-division champion ushers in a new community-based women's club competition which will mimic the MPBL's home-and-away format.
The MPVA will feature homegrown players aged 18-and-up across local government units nationwide. This comes with the exemption of a maximum of five ex-professional players per team, with only three allowed to play together at any given time.
Sixty-five single-round regular season games will be played in the MPVA's first season with best-of-three matchups to follow in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. Moreover, the video challenge system will take effect in the semis round.
Among the provisional teams introduced are Immaculada Concepcion College Blue Hawks (Caloocan), Marikina, Caloocan, Rizal, Biñan (Laguna), Nasipit (Agusan del Norte), Manila, Bulacan, Bacoor (Cavite), Quezon City, and San Juan.
In its debut staging, only a women's tournament will be played from October to Decembver 2023. But Pacquiao guaranteed that there will be a men's division in the MPVA by 2024.
"Marami na kong natanggap na comment sa mga men’s category (players) na bakit sa women’s lang (meron)? ‘Wag kayong mag-alala dahil pina-plano na natin ‘yan. Kasama sa plano natin ‘yan na magkaroon ng men’s at women’s volleyball," Pacquiao said.
Building an 'institution league'
Pacquiao bared his vision of creating an 'institution league' through the MPVA to safeguard the future of Filipino volleyball players from the grassroots and beyond.
“Institution league itong (MPVA). Talagang ito ang magiging home ng mga Filipino athletes natin sa volleyball para ‘di na sila mag-isip na maglaro sa ibang bansa," Pacquiao said.
“Gusto ko i-develop ang grassroots (kasi) marami talagang mga Pilipino, mga kabataan ngayon na ang hihilig sa sports. Kaso lang, kulang ‘yung mga programa natin na ibinababa sa kanila. Kaya itong MPVA, dito magsisimula na magkaroon sila ng encouragement at mangarap sa buhay na mabigyan ng katuparan ang mga pangarap nila," he added.
Apart from establishing a men's division, Pacquiao also envisions a junior MPVA division similar to the MPBL.
"Magkakaroon din tayo ng Junior MPVA later on, down to the barangays ‘yan in every city and province," Pacquiao said.
Call for support
In closing, Pacquiao shared his hope for the MPVA to draw the same amount of support as the MPBL in recent years.
"Nananawagan po ako sa inyong lahat para sa inyong suporta. I’m hoping this inaugural season ng MPVA ay magiging unforgettable moment katulad ng sa MPBL na napakaraming natanggap naming suporta sa iba’t ibang sulok ng ating bansa," Pacquiao said.
"I’m hoping na itong MPVA ay suportahan niyo rin at hindi lamang ito ay women’s (league) dahil meron din tayong men’s category by next year. We’re just planning properly para hindi tayo magkagulo-gulo dahil magkakasabay lahat," he added.
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