Guiao bracing to juggle political career, Gilas duty
MANILA, Philippines — Yeng Guiao has yet to fully cash in on the idea of becoming the chieftain of the national basketball squad.
After all, he’s going to wrestle with disruptions in his daily grind.
Speaking to the press for the first time since the news broke, Guiao was quick to point out that any coach would love to embrace the opportunity.
"[The appointment] will affect ‘yung mga previous na plans na I feel importante rin sa career at buhay,” he said. “Pero any coach would love the national position. ‘Yan naman ang pangarap ng lahat—and I’m one of them. Kung hindi lang na-set ‘yung mga ibang plano, I’ll (immediately) grab [the opportunity].”
Pressed for more, Guiao gamely shared that he is bracing to run for office anew.
“Kasi, I’m running for Congress. October is the filing for certificate of candidacy so once I file, I have to work there also,” he bared.
Guiao said he, too, is wary of the possibly myriad of complications that might crop up along the way.
“Ang tanong, kung naka-file ka na and then you’re formally campaigning, would that be fair to the national team?”
Don’t get Guiao wrong. He would love to have the spot.
“Gusto ko naman eh, lalo na kung okay kay Chot (Reyes) na magbigay (daan) siya. Gusto ko 'yan, lahat ng coaches gusto 'yan. Especially you feel that after the Asian Games, parang may feeling ka na parang kaya—na alam ko na ‘yung diskarte dito—parang ganoon,” he shared.
SBP’s chairman emeritus on Sunday suggested that Guiao might be tapped to replace Chot Reyes as the Gilas program’s tactician.
“The PBA has opened the doors to coach Yeng. He might as well get in,” said Manny V. Pangilinan.
“He (Reyes) knows it. I think so. For the country (he will),” he added when asked about Reyes paving way for Guiao.
If the plan pans out, Guiao will be the fourth architect to helm the program. He succeeds Reyes who held the post twice: once from 2012 through 2014, and then again from 2017 to present.
Before being named as the interim head coach for the national team in the Asiad in behalf of the suspended Reyes, Guiao once handled the Nationals, steering them to an eighth-place finish in the 2009 FIBA Asia Championships.
The tough-talking mentor is no newbie in politics as well. The son of Pampanga’s former governor in Bren Guiao, Yeng had two stints as vice governor, spanning nine years. He eventually made his way up into the House of Representatives, becoming the solon for the first District of Pampanga in 2013. His term as a congressman ended in 2016.
As far as basketball is concerned, Guiao had seven PBA titles under his belt, five PBA All-Star coaching gigs, and two Coach of the Year plums to flaunt.
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