Bong Go presses sports officials for solution to Gilas player availability woes

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has pressed Philippine basketball officials to establish a mechanism ensuring the availability of the country’s top players for major international competitions after Gilas Pilipinas failed to field its preferred lineup at the 20th Asian Games in Japan.

Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, raised the issue during the panel’s post-evaluation of the Philippine delegation’s campaign in Aichi-Nagoya on Thursday, 8 October.

During the hearing, Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone explained the difficulties in assembling the country’s strongest possible lineup, particularly with Filipino players under contract with professional clubs overseas.

Unlike FIBA-sanctioned competitions, the Asian Games do not require professional clubs to release players for national team duty. As a result, Gilas was unable to field several players the coaching staff had hoped to bring to Japan.

“That really hurts!” Go said in reaction to the situation.

Cone acknowledged that the same problem could recur in future international competitions unless a mechanism is established to address player availability.

“Unless there is a mechanism, this will happen again,” Cone told the committee.

Go said Philippine basketball already has the talent, size and depth to compete at a higher level internationally, provided the country can consistently assemble its best available players.

“We can already compete! We now have a 7-foot-3 player. Before, our centers were only 6-foot-5 or 6-foot-6,” Go said, pointing to the improvements in the physical profile and talent pool of Filipino basketball players.

Cone and other basketball officials agreed that the country has developed a deeper pool of players capable of competing internationally.

For Go, the issue goes beyond developing talented athletes. He said the country must establish a system that makes player availability more predictable whenever major international competitions arise.

At the same time, Go acknowledged the economic realities facing professional athletes, particularly Filipinos who receive lucrative offers to play overseas.

He said the government cannot simply prevent athletes from accepting opportunities that offer significantly higher compensation, drawing a comparison with Filipino nurses and other medical professionals who seek employment abroad for better salaries.

“We do not want to deprive them of opportunities to earn more. We know that salaries are generally higher abroad, not only for athletes but also for our nurses and other medical workers,” Go said.

“We cannot stop them. They have the right to earn more. But we also want representing our country to be given importance,” he added.

Go said these competing considerations are among the reasons he is developing a proposed Flag First Bill, which would establish a clearer national policy on prioritizing service to the Philippine team in major international competitions while taking into account athletes’ professional obligations and livelihoods.

Under the concept being studied, national athletes would generally be expected to prioritize national team service over professional club commitments during major international sporting events.

Go stressed that the proposal remains subject to consultations with athletes, coaches, leagues, sports associations and other stakeholders to ensure that the final measure is fair and workable.

“We will listen to our athletes and all stakeholders on how we can craft this proposed law,” he said.

The senator said the Asian Games experience should serve as an opportunity to address structural weaknesses before the next major tournament rather than simply assign blame for Gilas’ campaign.

The Philippines entered the Asian Games as the defending men’s basketball champion after ending a decades-long gold medal drought in Hangzhou in 2023.

For Go, the lesson from Nagoya is that Philippine basketball has a growing pool of world-class talent, but the institutions supporting the national team must also be capable of making that talent available when the country needs it most.

“These are concerns that go beyond the performance of any individual player or coach. We must look at the system,” Go said.

He reiterated that the Senate Committee on Sports is prepared to pursue legislation aimed at strengthening the system and giving national teams the best possible chance of competing with their strongest lineups.