Ni Ernest Hernandez
DAGOK sa Gilas Pilipinas program ang ‘eligibility rules’ ng FIBA.
Higit na naging sagabal sa koponan ang bagong regulasyon kung saan pinapayagan lamang ang mga half-breed player na makalaro sa bansang kanyang pipiliin kung nakakuha ng local passport sa edad na 16-anyos.
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Idagdag sa listahan ang 15-anyos Fil-Am na si Quintin Millora-Brown.
“They didn’t act in time,” pahayag ni Gilas assistant coach Josh Reyes.
Matagal nang binabantayan at kinakausap ng Gilas ang pamilya ni Millora-Brown para sa kanyang paglalaro sa Gilas.
“We actually went to him and talked to him to have his papers done.And a year passed and they haven’t done it so he’s 16 now and we can’t do anything anymore,” aniya.
Inamin ni Reyes na huminge sila ng tulong sa ilang opisyal na pamahalaan upang mapadali ang proseso, ngunit hindi rin naaksyunan kaaagad.
“I’ve talked to Congressman Robbie Puno about him and he actually went to the States to meet him. But then, as a minor, the kids can’t act on their own.”
Hindi rin nangyari ang planong paggabay ng mga lolo’t lola ni Millora-Brown sa US embassy para makuha ang kanyang passport.
“These are the tough examples that happen. Somehow the Filipino families in the states don’t feel the urgency of the matter,” sambit ni Reyes.
“That’s the problem. The thing is you have a Filipino who won’t automatically have a spot. But for him to get a chance, his papers need to be done. He has to get his passport before the age of 16.”
Inamin ni Reyes na ang kaso ni Millora-Brown ay ilan lamang sa suliraning kinakaharap ng Gilas recruitment team.
Umaasa si Reyes na mas magiging responsible ang mga pamilya ng Fil-Am player sa aspeto ng pagkuha ng passport sa maagang panahon.
“Everybody on social media has to put the word out there. All the Filipino leagues in the states have the word out there but somehow, may pagka you know, the Filipino “manyana” habit, they don’t feel the urgency of it until it’s too late.”
