The MPBL is going out of its way to make sure the contracts of its players are still upheld in the continuing COVID-19 crisis.
In a memo released last Tuesday, Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes reminded the regional league's member teams to give their players allowances amounting to at least 20 percent of their contracts.
A day later, Duremdes furthered on the subject in sportswriter Cedelf Tupas' The Crossover Podcast. "Actually, we have copies of the contracts of players. Makikita natin doon kung sino ang may live contracts pa," he said.
The league commissioner explained that because the Lakan Cup is now supposedly in the semifinals and finals phase, only four teams remain and only four teams have to fulfill their obligations to their players. "Ang natira na lang naman, four teams so they have to honor at least 20 percent ng mga live contracts dahil to me, it's valid," he said.
Without a doubt, that is nothing but good news to all of the Knights, Supercrunch, Tigers, and Steel still waiting for the resumption of action.
And for all of the players of each and every one of the MPBL's 31 member teams, Duremdes has this piece of advice.
"Be strong mentally, yan ang pinakaimportante rito. Basketball players, I believe, athletic yan e so konting conditioning lang, back-to-form na ulit," he shared. "Pero ang crucial, is mental. Don't think na you're losing hope. There's light at the end of the tunnel."