MBA‘Forgotten 5’ pleads for pay

Representatives of the five Metropolitan Basketball Association teams who have more than two months’ unpaid salaries Tuesday trooped to the LBC Offices, site of the governing MRBI’s board meeting, hoping to collect their wages. Team managers and coaches from the Pampanga Stars, Pangasinan Waves, Cagayan de Oro Amigos, Negros Slashers and Olongapo Volunteers went in unison to meet with MBA chair Santi Araneta.

"It’s been very hard for us,"said Cagayan de Oro Amigos team manager Bong Natividad. "We never gave the league problems, and we acted on their word that the money would come. But it’s been more than a month, and they haven’t told us anything."

"We’ve gotten calls from players, mothers and wives, and they’ve been crying to us," added Amigos coach Vic Ycasiano. "They’ve had to return cars and appliances they were paying on installment, and their phones have been cut. Players have been evicted from homes they were renting."

"Ginawa namin ang lahat para itayo ang liga," said Allan Trinidad, manager of the Pampanga Stars. "Pinuno namin ang mga pagkukulang nila. Nabayaran na yung tatlong teams. Paano naman kami? Dati, VIP treatment kami sa probinsya namin. Ngayon, masama ang tingin sa amin dahil sa utang namin sa huli naming mga laro."

The three teams which received compensation were LBC Batangas Blades, Cebuana Lhuillier Gems, Professional Davao Eagles.

The Olongapo Volunteers had actually prepared a demand letter prior to planned meeting.

"I told my players to look for jobs already," revealed Volunteers manager LJ Gordon. "I had nothing to promise them."

Once at the MRBI board meeting, however, they received a cold dose of reality. The board was going to deliberate on declaring bankruptcy to stem its financial hemorrhaging.

"I even gave P 10 million of my own money to buy the league two weeks of breathing room," said MBA Chair Santi Araneta. "I hoped to find investors. In that time, I got a no. Where will we get the money now?"

Araneta assured the group that he would do his best to convince the board members to chip in their share to settle at least the P 13.5 million in salaries owed to the teams’ players and staff.