DAVAO CITY (PIA) -- Despite the losses and amid bashings directed at the coaching staff and the Samahan ng Basketball sa Pilipinas (SBP)organization, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Partylist Representative Margarita Ignacia Nograles lauded the stint of the national basketball team in the recent FIBA World Cup.

“May one win ang Gilas, di ba ang daming problema internally pero one win is better than nothing and hopefully this will increase the government’s support sa ating mga atleta (Gilas has one win, isn’t it so they have many problems internally but one win is better than nothing and hopefully this will increase the government’s support for our athletes),” Nograles said.

The solon added that she saw a lot of potential in the games and hopes that the government will increase the support to the country’s athletes, not just the basketball team particularly as the country is preparing to participate in the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, Peoples Republic of China from September 23 to October 8.

“Hopefully the government will see na kailangan natin talaga na mas bigyan support and importansiya ang ating mga atleta (… that we really need to give support and importance to our athletes),” Nograles said.

The recent FIBA World Cup held from August 25 to September 10 was co-hosted by the Philippines,  Indonesia and Japan with Quarter-finals and the Finals held in Manila. The Gilas National Team bagged one win, a convincing 96-75 triumph over Asian basketball powerhouse China. The country placed 24th out of the 32 countries that participated in the World Cup. (RGA/PIA Davao)