WHILE not all 92.3 million Filipinos speak the same language (there are between 120 and 175 spoken languages in the Philippines), the nation knows one by heart the language of basketball.

A basketball court or a goal is the most common ornament in every conceivable side, or vacant space across the Philippines because of this deep love for the sport. The very same passion motivated a group of Filipinos in Qatar to form the organization called Pinoy Basketball of Qatar (PIBAQ).

PIBAQ is among the recognized organizations of the Philippine Embassy in Qatar. Formed in 2005, it is under the tutelage of the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) and an overseas affiliated member of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (Basketball Federation of the Philippines).

From 198 members including seven officials at inception, the group has now expanded to 667 active members.

It has also come a long way in terms of realizing its objective of uniting the 200,000-strong Filipinos in Qatar and fostering the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship within the community through the beautiful game.

“Die-hard basketball fanatics as we are, the group felt the urgent need to build the league that would “truly open opportunities to those who have basketball talent and skills here and back home,” said PIBAQ President and Founder Pat Carido.

Carido and Bombet Vitor, the Founder made it the group’s commitment to hold the sporting event regularly for entertainment as well as to generate funds for compatriots in need.

“Our group did not only receive an overwhelming response from the Filipino expats, but also earned the nod of the officials of QBF. When the then QBF Assistant General Manager Rashid al Abdulla accepted PIBAQ under his organization’s umbrella, our group set new ground rules and by- laws for its future tournaments to provide the Filipino community, especially basketball enthusiasts, a more exciting and a brand new basketball experience in the country,” Carido added.

PIBAQ’s commitment to entertain and to extend its hand to those in need led to several successful conferences and tournaments. The first PIBAQ Conference, inaugurated on March 10, 2006, benefited the children welfare programme Bantay Bata 163 of the Philippines’ major television network ABS CBN.

The second Conference (Vigor Power Energy Drink Championship Cup) was held in 2007 and part of the proceeds was donated to a distressed Filipino worker seeking refuge at the Philippine Embassy Doha, at that time.

The 3rd Al Emadi Enterprises Basketball Championship Cup raised a whopping QR25,000 donated to the Qatar Society for Rehabilitation and Special Needs and Asia’s Rehabilitation.

“The gesture proves that Filipino charity is alive anywhere in the world and extended to the less fortunate in society regardless of nationality, colour and race,” Carido said.

Besides charity work, PIBAQ supported the events & organized by the Qatar Basketball Federations’ is also living by its promise of exciting the Filipino basketball fanatics in the country by bringing to Doha the biggest names in Philippine basketball arena.

Among the basketball superstars who have played here are The De La Salle Green Archers during the Emir Championship Cup in 2008, Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) idols including Sta. Lucia Realtors, Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants and San Miguel-Magnolia Beverage Masters, the Smart Gilas Team Pilipinas (Philippine national team) joining the 12-national tournament along with PBA’s Talk ‘N Text in 2011, and PBA’s Meralco Bolts in 2012.

This year, PIBAQ vows to wow its followers even more. As Carido puts it, ‘the best is yet to come’.

 

QATAR TRIBUNE Daily English Newspaper.

By Ailyn Agonia