Senators laud Gilas after crushing China

MANILA, Philippines — Wearing T-shirts emblazoned with “West Ph Sea” and a Philippine flag, senators celebrated the Gilas Pilipinas victory over China during the FIBA World Cup classification phase on Sept. 2, the team’s first win in the tournament.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senators Sonny Angara, Ronald dela Rosa, Bong Go and Pia Cayetano were seen cheering and jumping as team Pilipinas trampled on the China basketball team 96-75, at the Araneta Coliseum Saturday night, ensuring it would not finish dead last unlike last time.

“This was the most important game of all! For our Pride and for our Mother Land the Philippines. We showed the bully in the North that we shall not be allowed to be bullied in our own home and that we rallied together as a Nation to pray and cheer for our Team Gilas!” Zubiri said in a message to Senate reporters.

“We may not have won any of our games for the world championships but this win was the sweetest of all,” he noted.

“Our Gilas Pilipinas fought well, like each and everyone of them knows the story of Ayungin, Recto Bank, Pag-asa Island, etc. So proud of them! Everyone contributed! We saw a different Gilas Team, there’s fire in their eyes! And Jordan Clarkson was a beast! He was like a video player in the 3rd quarter. Yahooooo!!!! Soooo happy!!! We should all commend our national team!!” Villanueva said in a message to Senate reporters.

“Congratulations to Gilas Pilipinas! That is the Filipino heart that continues to fight until the end. I salute the players, coaches and even fans because our ‘never say die’ attitude prevailed and we did not lose hope of getting points in the 2023 FIBA World Cup especially since we are the host country,” Go said.

Go added that “equally important is that this win over China’s team is a morale-boosting win for every Filipino, especially amid recent challenges we are facing over the West Philippine Sea.”

Zubiri said their t-shirts were apparently a response to the Chinese releasing a 10-dash line, claiming a bigger part of the Philippines.

“They released 10 dash lines so wearing this T-shirt is a statement that the West Philippine Sea is ours. Long live Gilas! Long live the Philippines!” he said.

“After the Win of Gilas against China with 21 points, I propose we redraw our map too to encompass the new  “21Dash line of Philippines,” Sen. Imee Marcos said.

Manila has lodged a protest against the 2023 version of China’s Standard Map – now showing a 10-dash line – issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources of China on Aug. 28, which shows an even bigger coverage of waters and land features within Philippine territory.

Beijing’s claim in South China was originally based on its so-called nine-dash line. The new map includes Taiwan. India has also protested Beijing’s new map, while Malaysia vowed to file its own protest.