The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) extended its all-out support to the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in celebration of the league’s 50th anniversary.

The government sports agency, now headed by Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, has opened anew the doors of both the Ninoy Aquino Stadium and the iconic Rizal Memorial Coliseum to serve as game venues for the remainder of the PBA season.

The agreement was sealed on Wednesday when league commissioner Willie Marcial personally paid a courtesy call on Gregorio in his PSC office on the fourth floor of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Gregorio likewise toured Marcial and his staff around the sports complex and showed them the refurbishing being done at the tennis court, baseball stadium, and taekwondo headquarter of the 92-year-old facility.

The meeting actually was more like a reunion for both Marcial and Gregorio.

The PSC chief and PBA commissioner once worked together, with Gregorio serving as former chairman of Asia’s first ever play-for-pay league and also as team governor of TNT.

“We’re happy because we discussed a lot of things not just about the PBA but also about his role as PSC chairman,” Marcial said.

Moreover, the second oldest pro league in the world was assured of having its games in the two government-owned playing venues.

The PBA began playing again at both the Ninoy Aquino Stadium and Rizal Coliseum under Gregorio’s predecessor, Richard “Dickie” Bachmann — also a former team governor of the defunct Alaska franchise.

“We agreed that we will hold games at the two venues this season,” Marcial added.

Also discussed was the possibility of holding games at another government-owned venue, the Philsports Arena, although the Pasig-based playground is still undergoing reconstruction.