IATF Sets Conditions for Two Non-Pro Leagues' Resumption

Due to the ongoing 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the national government is only allowing professional leagues to resume action. The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is set to open this coming April along with the opening of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) who recently switched from an amateur league to a professional volleyball league. 

However, two non-professional leagues have been given conditions by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases before they can operate: the Philippine SuperLiga (PSL) which is set to open the 2021 season with a beach volleyball tournament inside a bubble in Subic, and the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) which is hoping to finish what is left of the 2020 playoffs inside a bubble in Subic. 

During the public briefing last Friday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said, "There are two conditions that need to be fulfilled so amateur leagues can push through,"

Roque, who speaks on behalf of the IATF,  explained, "What's going to happen is we will wait for the Department of Health to issue applicable protocols because the existing protocols are only applicable to professional (leagues)," 

Roque also added that the said leagues will need to acquire approval either from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) or the local government of Olongapo City. "The planned sports bubble where the games will be held also needs approval from either the LGU or the SBMA, as they will implement the health protocols,"

The planned bubbles will be modeled around the Clark bubble where the PBA staged an all-Filipino conference last year.  

Photo is from the Daily Tribune