Ilocos Norte an option to host PBA bubble, if leagues decides to have one

Should the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) decide to hold another 'bubble' for its 46th season, they have an option to go way up north of the country.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, in a virtual press conference, revealed on Tuesday that he had talks with the Ilocos Norte local government through its Governor, Matthew Manotoc.

"I told the [PBA] governors, I had talks with Gov. Matthew Manotoc last week and yesterday, he offered to host the bubble in Ilocos Norte. I thank him for that," Marcial said in Filipino.

"We talked to him yesterday and said the direction of the PBA is to vaccinate first, but we are not closing the option to hold a bubble," he added.

Aside from Ilocos Norte, the league also considers Antipolo City in Rizal as another venue for the league's 46th season.

"I had talks with former Rizal governor and former Antipolo Mayor Jun Ynares, he said they are open to host the PBA, whether it's a bubble or a 'closed-circuit' system, as long as it has the approval of the (Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging and Infectious Diseases)," said Marcial.

Despite the offers from the two local governments, PBA vice chair Bobby Rosales said holding a bubble is not their first option.

"We'd like to look at the vaccination of the whole PBA as the first option so maybe, we can get better options than a bubble, if the IATF will allow it," he said.

The PBA was supposed to start the season this April. However, the league said it plans to vaccinate its people first to 'make things easier' in terms of charting its next steps. —Justin Kenneth Carandang/JMB, GMA News