MVP issues apology for Last Home Stand, refunds to be issued
Amidst a chorus of boos, the NBA stars and members of Gilas Pilipinas continued to run drills. One by one, people started walking out of the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Those who got their tickets for free presumably left first. The ones who paid for theirs remained as they wanted to get their money back as soon as possible.
It was an ugly scene it what was supposed to be another landmark night in Philippine basketball. The Ultimate All-Star Weekend sponsored by Manny V. Pangilinan, which featured the likes of Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, and other NBA stars, remains one of the best basketball events the country has ever seen.
The Last Home Stand of Gilas Pilipinas was supposed to be even more than that. The Smart-Gilas squad that competed in 2011 was preparing for an Asian tournament. Gilas Pilipinas is now gearing up for the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
However, all the fans got was a practice session involving the two teams. The basketball loving Filipinos booed NBA players and their own national team in an event never before seen by the country.
As a result, Pangilinan could do nothing else but apologize.
Just issued our apologies and offer to refund. Very disappointed ourselves. But we're accountable for event and to our basketball fans.
— Manny V. Pangilinan (@iamMVP) July 22, 2014
Accept with thanks the kind words, with humilty the less than kind. Setback shouldn't stop us from supporting our Gilas team & PH basketball
— Manny V. Pangilinan (@iamMVP) July 22, 2014
"We wish to apologize to our Filipino basketball fans for the sudden and disappointing turn of events today. We ourselves are extremely disappointed by this unexpected development. All we wanted was to give our Filipino basketball fans a real treat while at the same time, through this benefit event, help our countrymen who are still recovering from Super Typhoon Yolanda and more recently Typhoon Glenda," Pangilinan said.
PLDT Executive Vice President Ariel Fermin assured ticket holders for events today and tomorrow will be refunded in full in an expeditious manner.
Fermin said that the agreement with the event organizer, IGW, whose role it was to arrange the participation of the NBA players -- provided for a format involving a basketball clinic followed by a 5-on-5 game between Gilas Pilipinas and the Fibr All-Stars. However, PLDT was informed by IGW a few hours before the event on July 22, that the 5-on-5 game was not allowed by the NBA.
