PBA augments security in Clark bubble

MANILA, Philippines -- The PBA is in close coordination with the security personnel of the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) to ensure the safety of the teams inside its bubble.

All 12 teams are currently in Clark, Pampanga to resume the All-Filipino Cup, which was halted in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The players, coaches, team staff, league personnel, and media are all staying at the Quest Hotel, while games will be played at the Angeles University Foundation (AUF) Gym.

The PBA has assured that the teams will have security personnel to escort them to and from the AUF Gym, which is a 20-minute drive away from the hotel. Each team has its own dedicated bus.

"That bus will serve as a tunnel connecting the game venue and the hotel. So, basically 'yun lang 'yung tulay to get to AUF Gym and back to the hotel," said PBA deputy commissioner Eric Castro.

Castro also revealed that they have augmented the security in the area around AUF, after players expressed their concerns that some fans can enter the perimeter and thus burst the league's bubble.

"Yesterday, I talked with the head of security of CDC. We made arrangements already," Castro said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday.

"I fully understand 'yung concern ng mga players," he said. "So, we made the necessary adjustments already regarding the security protocols."

Members of the PBA personnel arrived at the bubble Wednesday and will undergo a two-day mandatory quarantine inside their own rooms before being allowed to roam the property.

Players, meanwhile, have been training at the AUF Gym since last week in preparation for the season's restart on October 11. The teams will have a packed schedule, with double-headers to be played every day until the elimination round is completed on November 11.