what's the update re RP's ban(FIBA)?

[phevergy]

hi there!can u plz give me an update re the status of RP on FIBA's ban?
any good newz???can we play internationally now esp this coming Asian Club Championship?pls let me know guys...i would appreciate it so much.thanks.

[jrb0yd]

just 1 month ago, there was this article in inquirer which said that accdg to bap, (1)the mou bet. poc and fiba was put to trash, (2)the only way to lift the suspension of rp is if bap is reinstated & (3)fiba-asia is now the one w/c will decide on the fate of rp, not the whole fiba or patrick bauhmann... im not sure though if this is true since this was accdg to bap(bunch of assholes)... and just moments ago i read these interesting articles...

Road to reforms paved by summit By Joaquin Henson
The Philippine Star 05/30/2006 from philstar.com

Close to 50 representatives of nearly every major basketball league or association in the country declared the first-ever cage summit a significant step to unite the hoop community and an opportunity to build for the future at the Pearl Manila Hotel last weekend.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose Cojuangco, Jr., POC secretary-general Steve Hontiveros and POC legal counsel Emigdio Tanjuatco, Jr. attended the seven-hour summit organized by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), the Philippine Basketball League (PBL), the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to galvanize stakeholders in the campaign for reforms.

PBA commissioner Noli Eala said the summit posed three key questions before the participants—what ails Philippine basketball, what are the possible solutions and how to solve the problems.

Lack of communication, lack of leadership and lack of sustainable programs were identified as the problems with the solutions as collaboration among the stakeholders, a voice or representation in the National Sports Association and the election of a visionary leadership.

Eala said regardless of whether or not the Federation Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) lifts the country’s suspension, the stakeholders are determined to continue the momentum of the summit, plan out programs, synchronize competition schedules, form strategic training programs, develop a feeder system for the elite level and reach out to other groups, including the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP), to solidify the foundations of a unified cage community.

A second summit will be held on June 17-18 to concretize the stakeholders’ plan of action. A committee made up of representatives of the PBA, PBL, UAAP and NCAA and Danny Soria of Baguio-Benguet, Boy Cabahug of Cebu and Pedro Alfaro of Zamboanga was authorized to plan for the next summit.

A highlight of the summit was the presentation of the elite program leading to participating in the 2008 Beijing Olympics by national team assistant coach Aboy Castro, representing coach Chot Reyes who was out of town. Castro said the national squad will play in the Jones Cup in Taipei and the Sultan’s Cup in Brunei this year.

For his part, Eala spoke about the Canadian national basketball development 2020 program as a model that may be applied to the Philippines. He described it as a mirror of what the country needs to develop its own development program. A strategic planning task force will be formed to study the Canadian model and submit recommendations for local application to the stakeholders at the second summit.

A resolution was drafted at the end of the summit and will be presented to the stakeholders for approval. The resolution noted that the stakeholders are one in their effort to unify the sport, undertake fundamental changes in the basketball infrastructure and leadership and implement a comprehensive basketball program that will carry the Philippines to its objective of regaining its lofty status in Asia.

The resolution also stated that the stakeholders are endorsing the membership of Pilipinas Basketball in the POC and FIBA and urging FIBA to immediately lift the country’s suspension and allow the national team to participate in all FIBA-sanctioned international tournaments. A copy of the resolution, once ratified, will be furnished FIBA and the International Olympic Committee.

Among the other stakeholders in the summit were the Baguio-Benguet Basketball Association, the Tarlac group, the NOPCEA of Negros Occidental, the CESAFI of Cebu, El Federaction Basketbolista de Zamboanga, the NAASCU, the CUSA, the NCRAA, the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP) and the NCAA South.

Mikee Romero of PBL club Harbour Centre, Teletech coach Jerry Codiñera, Philippine Basketball Federation president Moying Martelino and BCAP’s Tanny Gonzalez also attended the affair which Eala said, cannot be ignored by FIBA as a show of force by stakeholders in projecting the ‘real group’ to recognize as country affiliate.

from mb.com.ph
Basketball execs appeal to FIBA
Basketball stakeholders in the country during the weekend passed a resolution urging the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to lift its suspension of the Philippines, taking a big first step to a resolution of the cage impasse.


Attended by representatives of major leagues from Davao, Tarlac, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Zamboanga, Baguio, Benguet, Bicol and the National Capital Region, among others, the summit, organized by Pilipinas

Basketball at the Pearl Manila Hotel, became a sounding board of ideas where the delegates expressed their sentiments and ideas.

Headed by Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner Noli Eala and backed by Philippine Olympic Committee president Peping Cojuangco, the huge group will be meeting again on June 17 for an organizational and strategic meeting.

"We are very happy with the turnout," said Eala. "There was a fine exchange of ideas, and the sentiments of the stakeholders came out."

Eala said the participants vowed to "continue their effort to look for solutions and to stay together as a basketball community" bent on finding the proper answers to the problem.

"This has really set the tone for many more meetings of the stakeholders," Eala said.

The next summit three weeks from now, Eala said, will be bigger as he invited all the other stakeholders who missed Saturday’s gathering to lend their voices in the overall effort to have the FIBA sanction lifted.

"This is a good exercise for the stakeholders to plot more strategies," he said. "And we’re very positive and optimistic something very good will come out of this undertaking."

[jrb0yd]

Basketball stakeholders await BAP resolution
By Joaquin Henson
The Philippine Star 05/31/2006

A resolution from the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) submitting to a reorganization could be the key to a settlement of a dispute with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and may lead to the lifting of the country’s suspension by the Federation Internationale de Basketball (FIBA).

A source from Pilipinas Basketball, recognized by the POC as the BAP’s replacement in the General Assembly on a conditional subsequent status, said yesterday the BAP resolution could break the impasse.

BAP president Joey Lina and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Noli Eala, representing Pilipinas Basketball, met recently to discuss how to resolve the problem that led to the suspension.

Eala met separately with POC president Jose Cojuangco, Jr. to also explore ways of ending the dispute.

"Reinstating the BAP as an NSA (National Sports Association) is not an option," said the source. "The General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to expel the BAP and cannot be expected to reverse its position. But if Pilipinas Basketball itself were to ask the General Assembly to reconsider a reorganized BAP, maybe something could be worked out."

Lina has repeatedly told officials of Pilipinas Basketball to trust his leadership in reorganizing the BAP, instituting democratic procedures in electing officers and assuring representation of stakeholders in the Board. Lina was asked to submit a BAP resolution where the officers will volunteer to resign, the Constitution and By-Laws of Pilipinas Basketball will be adopted and a democratic election will be held.

But it has been over two weeks since Lina sent a text message to Eala, saying the resolution is in the process of being drafted "with reasonable modifications."

BAP deputy secretary-general Lito Alvarez said he is not aware of a pending resolution. "If the purpose of the resolution is to convince FIBA to lift the suspension, it is not necessary because FIBA has assured the BAP the suspension will be lifted in two months," said Alvarez.

Major stakeholders convened last Saturday in a summit to unite the basketball community and voted to support Pilipinas Basketball.

"The stakeholders want a voice in setting a vision for Philippine basketball and the consensus is to support Pilipinas Basketball as the organization that reflects their sentiments," said a summit participant. "It was also the consensus that the BAP has outlived its usefulness."

Reacting to news that FIBA will lift the country’s suspension by July, Eala said the stakeholders welcome the decision even if it means allowing the Philippines to play only in FIBA-sanctioned tournaments and not in the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and the Olympics.

"Whether the suspension is lifted or not, the stakeholders are determined to push through with their efforts in rationalizing a national basketball development program," said Eala. "We’re very optimistic that this effort will not be disregarded by FIBA and the BAP. We will pursue the BAP resolution and continue to reach out to the BAP. FIBA will eventually realize which organization is the real group supported by the major stakeholders."

A source said the option of using the BAP as a brand name of Pilipinas Basketball to facilitate the lifting of the FIBA suspension was rejected as was the alternative of merging Pilipinas Basketball and the BAP with Pilipinas Basketball as the surviving entity characterized by BAP traits.

Lina reportedly said because of the bitter war with the POC, the BAP’s position of agreeing to a resolution has hardened and it may take longer for a settlement.

But a source said the BAP is only "buying time, playing everyone, bluffing and hoping for somebody to bail it out of extinction."

POC legal counsel Emigdio Tanjuatco said it’s full speed ahead with the recruitment of different leagues into Pilipinas Basketball.

"The (recent) Regional Trial Court decision (upholding the BAP’s expulsion by the POC) will help in the recruitment and accelerate in making the BAP nothing more than an empty shell," said Tanjuatco. "It should also downgrade the BAP in the eyes of the POC."

[jrb0yd]

By Beth Celis
Inquirer


I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since I learned that the Fiba ban on the Philippines will soon be lifted.

OK, assuming that the ban is lifted, what happens next? Will we be able to send a team to Doha, Qatar, for the Asian Games?

Since he is a member of the PBA board, I decided to present this question to BAP deputy sec gen Lito Alvarez of Air 21.

I know that this matter was discussed in the last board meeting.

***

According to Lito, if the POC does not reinstate the BAP, we might as well forget about participating in the Asian Games, the Southeast Asian Games and the Olympics (if by some remote chance we get to qualify), and instead focus on Fiba-sanctioned tournaments like the Fiba-Asia Championships (formerly ABC), the Seaba, and the Fiba-Asia Interclub.

The question of which team to send to these international tournaments is another matter, said Lito, since the PBA has affiliated itself with Pilipinas Basketball (which is not recognized by the Fiba) and has even named the Chot Reyes-coached national team after it.

“Under the present circumstances, the BAP might be constrained to rescind the MOA forged with the PBA years ago,” Lito said.

If requested by the BAP, Lito said he is willing to lend his team for the sake of flag and country.

“I’m sure there are other PBA teams who would be glad to do the same. But I am still urging the board to work with the BAP, to honor our MOA with them,” Lito said.


what a selfish act by lito! i think the best way to resolve it right now is to reconsider the reorganized bap and work with a resolution where the BAP officers will volunteer to resign, the Constitution and By-Laws of Pilipinas Basketball will be adopted and a democratic election will be held...

[jrb0yd]

Asian body asks FIBA to lift RP suspension By Frank Calapre, Correspondent

THERE is light at the end of the long Philippine basketball tunnel.

At a meeting Wednesday at the Al Shamiya Holiday in Kuwait City, 44 members of the International Basketball Federation-Asia or FIBA-Asia unanimously passed a resolution urging the FIBA Central board to lift its suspension on the Philippines from international competition.

Basketball Association Philippines Joey Lina, who attended the meeting and crafted the petition, relayed the news on Thursday.

“The unanimous approval of the resolution by the FIBA-Asia Congress is a major breakthrough in the Philippines’ quest to once again participate in FIBA international basketball competitions and showcase the basketball skills of our elite players against their counterparts from other countries,” Lina said in a press statement.

Lina said the resolution will be forwarded to the FIBA Central Board during the FIBA Congress coinciding with the World Basketball Championship in Saitama, Japan from August 19 to September 9.

The FIBA Central Board is the highest executive body of the world governing federation of the sport, and Lina said the lifting of the Philippines suspension will be on the agenda in its Japan meeting.

Lina pointed out that it was FIBA-Asia secretary-general Dato Yeoh Choo Hock of Malaysia who presented the resolution to the body “which received positive sympathy from all members.”

The resolution was passed in the presence of FIBA president Carl Menky Ching, secretary-general Patrick Baumann and lifetime honorary president and former secretary-general Borislav Stankovic.

But not everyone was apparently happy about the latest development.

Reacting to the news, the Philippine Olympic Committee, which expelled the BAP from its ranks on June 30, 2005 that subsequently led to the FIBA ban on the country, said it would continue to stand behind Pilipinas Basketball, the group formed to replace it.

“The expulsion of the BAP and the formation of a new association, the Pilipinas Basketball, is in the hands of the POC. While we respect the international basketball federation, we expect the same courtesy in the POC,” POC secretary-general Steve Hontiveros said.

Philippine Basketball Federation president Mauricio Martelino, whose group was ditched by the POC in favor of Pilipinas Basketball, said the FIBA-Asia action was just “black propaganda” to compel the POC to reinstate the BAP.

The FIBA-Asia resolution noted that Baumann, who investigated the controversy, concluded that “the BAP’s expulsion was inappropriate and out of proportion.”

The resolution also cited Baumann’s August 30, 2005, letter to the POC that “it is inappropriate to use basketball as a sports-political game between opposing sides. As a consequence, FIBA cannot accept the POC’s decisions to remove one group in favor of another one.”

-should we call it a huge development or what? let's now hear it to the poc and the 2nd meeting between the stakeholders of pilipinas basketball on june 17... boy, it looks like fiba is really on the side of bap... i just hope that if ever bap will be reinstated, all of its members will be replaced... but i think reinstating them is not on the agenda of the poc, let's just hear it to the poc and pilipinas basketball... boy, let's hope that the suspension will be lifted very soon and our participation in this years asian games would not be put in peril...

[jrb0yd]

Pilipinas Basketball taking bid
to FIBA world meeting in Japan

By Bong Pedralvez, Subeditor

PILIPINAS Basketball wants to make a last-ditch bid for recognition by the International Basketball Federation at the FIBA World Congress in Saitama, Japan, in August.

“Pilipinas Basketball is forming a delegation to go to the FIBA World Congress, where it expects to make representation as the national sports association of the sport in the country. The POC is backing the trip,” Philippine Olympic Committee secretary-general Steve Hontiveros said in a recent interview.

“Pilipinas Basketball aims to show that they have the majority of the stakeholders in the sport,” Hontiveros added.

The POC has endorsed Pilipinas Basketball as the replacement for the Basketball Association of the Philippines, which it expelled on June 30, 2005, for allegedly failing to comply with an agreement in forming national teams to overseas competitions.

A BAP insider confirmed that a former Filipino FIBA-Asia official was trying to secure Japanese visas for the Pilipinas Basketball contingent to join the FIBA Congress, which coincides with the World Men’s Basketball Championship.

The source pointed out that the effort of the basketball group would be a futile exercise “because it [Pilipinas Basketball] is not even invited to the meeting. The group is a nonentity in the eyes of FIBA.”

The recognition prospects of Pilipinas Basketball by the world governing basketball were further dimmed in the wake of the unanimous resolution passed by FIBA-Asia at its meeting in Kuwait last week asking the FIBA Central Board to lift the ban on the Philippines.

BAP president Joey Lina, who attended the meeting, crafted the resolution approved by all 44 FIBA-Asia members.

“There is a strong chance that the Central Board will respect the wishes of FIBA-Asia and have the ban on the country lifted. The BAP’s membership as a member of good standing is also likely to be reaffirmed [at the Japan meeting],” the source said.

Lina, who arrived on Sunday, had earlier described the FIBA-Asia resolution as “a major breakthrough.”

With the ban likely to be lifted, the Philippines might be able to field a team to compete in November in the Doha Asian Games in Qatar, where many basketball-loving overseas Filipino workers in the Middle East are expected to come in droves to watch the RP cagers play.

Doha Asian Games representatives who were recently in the country to set up the event’s torch relay had said the participation of the Philippine men’s basketball team would be a major attraction at the Games.

[jrb0yd]

it's already august...so w/in this month, fiba will determine the fate of our rp team... just some news i got...

from manilastandard

Fiba suspension to be lifted, but...

CHOT Reyes, head coach of the Philippine national team, which is presently seeing action in an invitational tournament in Qatar, said before his departure Monday that he was confident that Fiba, the international governing body for basketball, would lift the suspension of the Philippines.

Reyes said that when he was in Taipei recently for the Jones Cup, both the head of delegation of Qatar as well as their coach informed him that Fiba will lift the suspension it slapped on the Philippines last year following the bitter controversy over the expulsion of the Basketball Association of the Philippines from the Philippine Olympic Committee.

This was followed by attempts by POC president Jose Cojuangco to get the major basketball stakeholders together to create a body—Pilipinas Basketball—to replace the BAP.

But Reyes was in a quandary as to whether the lifting of the suspension would mean that the BAP could once again send teams to represent the country in Fiba-sanctioned tournaments or whether Pilipinas Basketball would be recognized.

BAP vice president Lito Alvarez confirmed what Reyes said, but added that he was sure the reinstatement of the Philippines by Fiba will give the green light to the BAP, which continues to be recognized by the international governing body.

“Pilipinas Basketball is a nonentity as far as Fiba is concerned,” said Alvarez. “The good thing about it is we can already play in Fiba-sanctioned events.”


another... from manila times

Eala: Pilipinas Basketball to live
on sans FIBA recognition

EVEN if Pilipinas Basketball does not gain the International Basketball Federation’s recognition, the group will continue to exist and pursue its plans and programs, Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Noli Eala said on Tuesday.

“Pilipinas Basketball will continue even without FIBA recognition. This is the commitment of the stakeholders,” said Eala at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Pantalan Restaurant in Manila.

Eala is one of the proponents of the new basketball group endorsed by the Philippine Olympic Committee as the replacement of the Basketball Association of the Philippines, which was dropped from the POC roster on June 30, 2005.

FIBA subsequently suspended the Philippines from all its sanctioned tournaments, although there are reports that it will be lifted soon, possibly during the FIBA Congress in Saitama, Japan, in late August.

Eala said the POC has invited Pilipinas Basketball to come up with a presentation that it intends to show at the FIBA meeting.

“The POC hopes to show to FIBA that the group has wide representation of the basketball stakeholders in the country,” he said.

Eala, however, was unaware if the POC would be sending a delegation to the FIBA Congress, or if it was invited to the affair.

---good idea! poc should send a delegation(pilipinas basketball) to japan for that fiba congress!

[RNHalawi]

thanx for the updates jRboyd..!

im glad to be here... this is my first post ever...!

[jrb0yd]

yeah, anytime man... welcome to this forum

[jrb0yd]

FIBA summons POC, BAP
By Joaquin Henson
The Philippine Star 08/22/2006

A showdown is in the offing between Pilipinas Basketball, backed by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) as a National Sports Association, and the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) during the Federation Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) Central Board meeting this Sunday in Tokyo.

Officials of the opposing organizations were summoned by FIBA secretary-general Patrick Baumann to appear before the Central Board and explain their case in a 10-minute presentation. The POC and the BAP will be allowed two speakers each.

Baumann sent a letter to POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. the other day inviting the official to fly to Japan, attend the Central Board meeting and the World Congress on Aug. 28-29 and watch the knockout quarterfinals of the World Championships in Saitama on Aug. 30. He said arrangements will be made for the officials to stay in the FIBA-accredited hotel.

Baumann also said he would provide a conference room for the rival officials to settle their differences and arrive at a solution to end the Philippines’ leadership crisis.

Although Pilipinas Basketball is not recognized by FIBA as a country affiliate, the POC-recognized NSA will be given the opportunity to air its side to the Central Board, FIBA’s highest executive body.

FIBA is expected to end the Philippines’ suspension from international competition at the World Congress but even if the ban is lifted, the problem of which NSA will accredit the national team remains unless the POC or the BAP backs down.

The POC expelled the BAP as an NSA last year, triggering the FIBA suspension because the international body continues to recognize the BAP as its country affiliate.

"FIBA is poised to lift the suspension," said Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Noli Eala who is affiliated with Pilipinas Basketball. "But assuming the suspension is lifted, the question remains which national team will represent our country." The POC will not accredit a team endorsed by the BAP and FIBA will not recognize a team that is not endorsed by the BAP. So we’ll still be at a stalemate even if the suspension is lifted."

Eala said he suspects FIBA will force the Philippines to decide its own fate as it should have done in the first place.

"I always thought the problem was internal to the Philippines," said Eala. "I could never understand why FIBA stepped into a domestic problem. I think the Philippines should never have been suspended. Once FIBA lifts the suspension, it will deliver the message for the Philippines to solve the problem. It will be our shame if we are not able to settle the issue."

POC legal counsel Emigdio Tanjuatco said Pilipinas Basketball will be ready to make a power point presentation with film footage of action from its major stakeholders.

Expected to attend the meeting are POC first vice president and Rep. Monico Puentevella, Tanjuatco, lawyer Mon Malinao, PBA chairman Ricky Vargas and Eala. Puentevella, Tanjuatco and Malinao plan to leave Manila for Japan on Aug. 24. Vargas and Eala will join later.

The BAP will be represented in Japan by president Joey Lina and possibly, secretary-general Graham Lim.

[bognut]

it's on! let the showdown begin!

[sickcurtain_16]

I just wish them all the best. I just hope that ego will not play the most part in the meeting. Whatever the outcome of the meeting will be, let's just hope it's for the best of Philippine Basketball. Astig!

[jrb0yd]

finally a light in the tunnel...!!! whoa...

RP cage officials come to terms By Joaquin Henson
The Philippine Star 08/29/2006

Officials of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) and Pilipinas Basketball (PB) issued a joint communiqué agreeing to unite and end a lingering leadership crisis after a marathon eight-hour meeting at the Prince Park Tower Hotel in Tokyo yesterday.

The communiqué was submitted to Federation Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) president Bob Elphiston of Australia, secretary-general Patrick Baumann of Switzerland, former secretary-general Borislav Stankovic of Yugoslavia and FIBA-Asia secretary-general Dato Yeoh Choo Hock of Malaysia last night.

Baumann affixed his signature on the document to certify its receipt.

Signatories of the joint communiqué were POC first vice president and Rep. Monico Puentevella, BAP president Joey Lina, PB president Bernie Atienza of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Noli Eala.

Also present at the meeting were BAP chairman Michel Lhuillier, BAP secretary-general Graham Lim, Fritz Gaston, Raul Alcoseba, POC legal counsel Egmidio Tanjuatco and POC lawyer Ramon Malinao.

Puentevella said the country’s suspension will be discussed at the FIBA Central Board meeting today. He expressed optimism the suspension will be lifted — if not totally, at least conditionally — in view of the joint communiqué.

Puentevella described the agreement a "breakthrough" and said the onus of responsibility now rests squarely on the Philippine basketball officials to get their act together.

In the joint communiqué, the BAP and PB agreed to merge into a single, united organization that will seek membership in the POC and eventually take the BAP’s place as FIBA’s country affiliate.

It was also stipulated that a three-man panel, made up of the BAP and PB presidents and a third member picked by both, will be created within five days to finalize the merged organization’s Constitution and By-Laws; review, verify and validate the list of members submitted by PB and the BAP to the FIBA Central Board special committee formed to hear the Philippine case; and convene a National Congress for the election of officers.

A period of 30 days from Sept. 1 was given the three-man panel to complete its tasks.

While the new organization is being formed, the BAP will continue to represent the country in FIBA. A FIBA officer will be designated by the Central Board to monitor the compliance of the agreement.

Baumann summoned the Filipino officials to Tokyo in an effort to settle the dispute.

Last Sunday, the Filipino officials met with Baumann, outgoing FIBA president Carl Ching Meng Ky of Hong Kong and Stankovic for three hours to find a solution to the problem.

The three-hour meeting failed to arrive at a settlement. FIBA then gave the Philippines an ultimatum of up to yesterday to resolve the problem.

Puentevella said FIBA refused to step in because it wants the opposing parties to settle the issue by themselves.

"FIBA wants us to solve the problem among ourselves," said Puentevella. "They won’t take a stand."

Baumann even offered the services of FIBA lawyers to moderate the discussions yesterday but the Filipino delegates decided to meet on their own.

[stuart]

I don't know who is at fault, or what really is the problem... but it's a total shame that whoever it is can't get it together... the Philippines is one of those rare countries totally in love with basketball and has to sit home because of some stupid politics.

Stuart

[bognut]

I don't know who is at fault, or what really is the problem... but it's a total shame that whoever it is can't get it together... the Philippines is one of those rare countries totally in love with basketball and has to sit home because of some stupid politics.

Stuart

let's forget on whose to blame. we just want this resolved! and just to be able to play again is whats important to us! Let's Go RP!!!

for now they seem to be cooperative (BAP and POC)... hmmm... i wonder how long this would last....

im worried

heck with that. as long as i see my country playing in international competiton w/ the best! its ok w/ me!!!!! VIVA PHILIPPINES!!!!!