Basketball has probably taken root in our country more so than any other sport. It is not uncommon to see basketball courts in most, if not all, our barangays.

Across our country, basketball is played on the streets, in school gymnasiums, in every town or city multipurpose courts, and even in arenas or coliseums. If not playing the game themselves, most Filipinos watch basketball matches, earning us the appellation of a hoop-crazy nation.

It is no wonder then why many Filipinos were concerned over the recent performance of our Philippine national men's basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, which crashed out of the FIBA Asia Cup last July without reaching the quarterfinals — the first time in 15 years. This came just two months after the team fell short of a 14th straight gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.

The results of these outings, although unfortunate, serve as an opportunity for us to unite and help rather than criticize, especially since we know how much more capable Gilas Pilipinas could be. Five times, our team reigned as champion of the FIBA Asia Cup. Our team also has the distinguished history of securing a bronze medal in the 1954 FIBA World Championship, which is the only podium finish by any Asian team.

Nine years ago, when the Philippines hosted the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship, I was one of the many Filipinos who watched avidly as our team defeated much taller foes, one after another. The Gilas Pilipinas we saw fought against all odds to snatch the silver medal in the competition.

As we once again prepare to host the 2023 FIBA World Cup alongside Japan and Indonesia next year, we must give our national team its needed support to show the world that we could still be the sports powerhouse in Asia. This shall also serve as an opportune time for us to further boost our tourism industry and spur our country's economic recovery. More tourists mean more livelihood opportunities and more jobs for Filipinos.

Thus, as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, we will hold our first committee hearing for the 19th Congress today. Aside from being an organizational meeting where we will discuss our legislative priorities and policy direction with fellow legislators, sports officials and stakeholders, we shall also tackle the preparations being made for the FIBA World Cup hosting.