Jason Brickman

PBA relaxes rules on Filipino-foreigner players

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has given the green light on new rules that will allow more Filipino-foreign players to play in the league.

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas revealed this during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday, saying that Fil-foreign basketball players need only present their Philippine passport to be eligible for the PBA draft.

Another development that Fil-foreign players will appreciate is the rule that increases the number of Fil-foreign players on a PBA team from five to seven.

“We will basically look at Fil-foreigners less stringently now,” said Vargas. “As long as they have Filipino blood and they can get their passport, they are able to come and play for us. We will look at them with less rules to disqualify them.”

The original rule stipulated that Fil-foreign players must secure papers from both the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Immigration (BOI) certification to be eligible for the draft.

Vargas said these new rules will help make the league more exciting.

“That way, we will make the PBA exciting and we will bring the world to the PBA. Parang NBA,” Vargas said. “But at the same time, trying to also balance it so that we will be able to give jobs to our players na nandito. We are looking forward to that in the next draft.”

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