Games today (Ynares Arena, Pasig City)
2 p.m.—Rain or Shine vs. Terrafirma
4:35 p.m.—Phoenix vs. TNT T Giga
The game between San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra has been postponed, reducing today’s triple-bill into double-header as the PBA continues to impose what it calls ‘precautionary’ measure intended to secure the safety of everyone in the face of danger that’s still lurking.
The SMB-Ginebra game set at 4:35 p.m. is supposed to be the main offering of the original three-game sked today at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City, but the league opted to postpone it in accordance with its Health and Safety Protocols approved by the Department of Health.
Only two games will be played today, with Rain or Shine and Terrafirma, originally set to meet 7 p.m. today, colliding at 2 p.m. instead.
The TnT Tropang Giga game will now take the timeslot of the Ginebra-San Miguel match but will face Phoenix instead.
The SMB-Ginebra postponement was the second straight after yesterday’s 2 p.m. tussle pitting Blackwater Bossing and Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters was also postponed for the same reason, reducing its double-header into one-game affair between Meralco and Alaska.
The league has frequently been holding three games in a day in its bid to finish the elimination at the soonest possible time, an approach that could hit a snag with Metro Manila to go under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the days to come.
To avoid further disruption of the schedule, the league is keen on moving from its present venue in Pasig to Lipa City in Batangas, where most teams held their respective preparations prior to the start of the one-conference 46th Season.
League commissioner Willie Marcial said they had already sent a letter to the DOH to seek clearance regarding its plan to move out of Metro Manila and continue conducting games in Batangas.
Marcial said he has no idea when would the league receive the DOH clearance, although moving out of the metropolis is a good decision that could be advantageous to everybody.
On Friday, the DOH and the Inter-Agency Task Force announced the implementation of ECQ in Metro Manila from Aug. 6-20 due to the threat of the COVID-19 Delta variant.
The development is expected lead to restrictions in the region, including the closing of the indoor sports gyms like the PBA's permanent venue at the Ynares Sports Arena.
“Hindi pa natin alam kung kailan,” said Marcial when asked when would the league get the go-signal from the DOH to leave the Pasig venue.
