While there is a hint that regulations could be reverted to a less stricter Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine after Sunday, April 11, the PBA has been forced to push its target start to either late-May or early-June, provided things improved by then.
The PBA Board of Governors could meet next week to discuss what plans can be made in order for the league to push through.
Initial plans were for the league to have a 10-month, two-conference season under a semi-bubble concept. PBA commissioner Willie Marcial even had conversations for a possible staging of the season at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Residents queue up to enter a market in Manila on March 28, 2021
(Photo by Jam STA ROSA / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
Dr. David Guido, OCTA research fellow, said that his team is projecting the reproduction rate to reach 1.2 or even 1.1 or 1 by the end of the week.
As of Monday, April 5, the reproduction rate in NCR is already at 1.53.
“Pag ganon, medyo malapit na siya sa 1, baka pwede na kahit mag MECQ tayo, kaya natin mapababa ‘yun sa 1 within the following week (If that’s the case, if the reproduction number is near 1 it’s possible to shift to MECQ, since we can manage to bring it down to 1 within the following week),” Guido told DZMM in an interview on Tuesday (April 6).
PHOTO: Gerry Ramos
THE PBA board will convene in a special meeting next week to plot its next course of action as stricter quarantine protocols forced a stop to teams practices and pushed back the launch of the league s 2021 season.
Commissioner Willie Marcial admitted on Monday the league s season plans are shrouded in uncertainty after the government enforced another lockdown in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.
The Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) raised over Metro Manila and provinces like Bulacan, Laguna and Rizal ruled out the league s planned April 18 season launch at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, which is part of the NCR plus bubble.
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Mayor Abby Binay
(FACEBOOK/ MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Policemen raided Movida Fashion Food and Club and Royal Club Makati on Friday (March 5).
Binay warned commercial establishments in Makati City and their customers that “the city government will bring down the full force of the law on violators of city ordinances and safety protocols against COVID-19.”
“We are alarmed by the blatant disregard for the law and cavalier attitude shown by these establishments and their clients. Let me remind everyone that we are still in a pandemic. With the presence of new variants, we need to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols at all times,” the mayor said in a statement.