MMDA warns street basketball courts to go

Last two minutes for the improvised basketball courts in Metro Manila’s streets.

A Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) official called the warning yesterday as he said that these are obstructions that have to be demolished and prohibited soon.

According to Traffic Operations Center Director Angelito Vergel de Dios, improvised basketball courts have always been in the MMDA’s list of obstructions that have to be removed. "But we were not able to do it right away because we don’t have enough people to implement it. It’s also a matter of priorities," Vergel de Dios said in a phone interview.

Basketball is a national sport of sorts, much like boxing and billiards. Even if relatively short, Filipinos often play basketball as their pastime. Addiction to the game eventually led those who do not have access to covered courts to put-up improvised basketball courts in the streets where they live.

"There are a lot of these particularly in Sampaloc (in Manila)," Vergel de Dios said.

When suggested that removing the courts would be met with protests, Vergel de Dios shrugged it off and said he was confident more people — pedestrian and motorists alike, would be happier because they would be able to use the streets properly.

Loose balls or players out of balance either hit pedestrians or vehicles passing by.

Since last year, the MMDA has been relentless in its campaign to clear Metro Manila’s streets and thoroughfares of obstructions to ease the heavy traffic and give more space to pedestrians.

It all began by prohibiting ambulant vendors from selling in the streets. Recently, Vergel de Dios said that the MMDA would begin removing obstructions in major thoroughfares like EDSA and Aurora Boulevard.