By RALPH JOHN MIJARES
ROXAS City — Three Filipino hard court legends came here recently to unveil an outdoor basketball court in Malipayon Village, Brgy. Tiza.
The “Court of Inspiration” was built in the village to provide Brgy. Tiza’s lack of basketball court and fuel the villagers’ love for the game.
Rains did not stop Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) Johnny Abarrientos, Ronnie Magsanoc and Benjie Paras from interacting with fans and training young aspiring basketball players through drills practiced by professional league players.
Paras said the project was one of their “ways of giving back.”
When he was a young boy, Paras said, he also looked up to this PBA idols.
According to Magsanoc, basketball is “simbolo na pwedeng sakyan ng mga kabataan (a symbol that could inspire the youths).”
Magsanoc said any sport teaches people, especially the youths, many values.
Abarrientos, meanwhile, said they were one with the villagers in achieving their dreams.
A painkiller brand was behind the project. It provided construction materials in coordination with the local government unit.
The basketball court in Brgy. Tiza was the 25th in the country and the first in this capital city built under the project over the past three years, said Toby Manlapat, the brand manager. Volunteers helped build the courts.
“Kapag may pinaglaban and pinaghirapan, maski na [may] sakit ng katawan, mayroong positive outcome,” Manlapat said in a press conference that followed the court’s unveiling on June 28.
The project also aims to develop the Filipinos’ basketball skills.
Manlapat said they aim to build a “Court of Inspiration” in every city in the country. More such courts might be built here in the future, he added./PN
