Nakatatabang puso ang malaman na marami tayong magkakampi sa laban na ito.

Sayang lang at pautloy pa ring pinaninindigan ng BAP o Basketball Association of the Philippines ang kanilang pagiging kontrabida sa kilos, sa halip na maayos ang larong malapit sa puso nating mga Pilipino.

Pero ganu’n pa man, dahil na rin sa inyong kagustuhang maalis ang stado natin bilang suspendidong bansa mula sa FIBA, sisiguraduhin nating maisagawa ang Unity Congress sa Pebrero 5 sa Dusit Hotel sa Makati.

Ang Unity Congress ang huli at pinakamahalagang hakbang tungo sa pagkumpleto ng mga atas ng FIBA, para maibalik ang ating bansa sa active status sa international play.

May ilang araw pa upang magising sa katotohanan ang BAP... sa katotohanang sila na lamang ang tunay na hadlang sa pagbabalik ng sigla ng basketbol dito sa Pilipinas!

Matapos na sana ang hinagpis!

Sakaling kayo'y nagbibilang, dalawampung buwan ng suspendido ang Pilipinas sa atas ng FIBA, ang taga pangasiwa ng basketbol sa buong mundo.

Isang kasakiman, lalo na kung iisipin kung gaano natin kamahal ang larong ito.

Hindi na bale kung halos lahat ng mga tunay na namamalakad ng basketbol dito sa Pilipinas ay handang gawin lahat ng pagmamalasakit upang maibalik lamang ang sigla at paniniwala ng sambayanan sa ating national team.

Tingnan niyo na lamang ang PBA.

Sa kinatagal-tagal ng panahaon, pahirapan na makuha ang commitment ng ligang ito kapag Philippine team ang pinapag-usapan.

Ngayon sila mismo ang nangunguna sa pagtulak ng pagbubuklod ng lahat ng grupo dito sa bansa para lamang mawala na ang ating stado bilang isang suspendidong bansa mula sa FIBA.

Sa kabilang panig naman, ayaw pa rin paawat ng tinaguriang Basketball Association of the Philippines sa pagtayo nila bilang hadlang sa tunay na pagkakabuo ng isang tunay na samahan na mangangasiwa ng basketbol dito sa ating bayan.

Gagawing lahat ng mga tinaguriang hardliners ng BAP ang lahat para lamang hindi matuloy ang pagbubuklod ng mga basketbol stakeholders. Ito ay upang mapanatili ang kanilang monopoliya sa bulagsak na pamamalakad ng isport ng basketbol.

May alam ba kayong ibang solusyon para masawata ang kasakimang nagaganap sa ating minamahal na laro?

"He has to take good care of his body, after all, the whole country is pulling for him," Dr. Regina Bagsic told GMA News, after Manny Pacquiao passed with flying colors his stress test at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan, Metro Manila, last January 9.

Pacquiao’s attending physician also discussed with yours truly that our favorite boxing icon is suffering from gastritis and upper stomach pain caused by inflammation of the stomach lining. This was in turn reportedly caused by the champion’s missing meals regularly.

Gastritis is also stress-induced. Doctors advised Manny to keep his alcohol intake in check, and to get “enough” sleep.

Sabi naman ni Manny, kakain na raw siya ng maayos kaso nga, baka raw bumigat siya. The Pacman also added in jest: "Tao lang ako na may puso’t damdamin na maari ring masaktan."

So I guess it will take more than just gastritis to knock out Pacquiao, who might be feeling that he is on top of the world, what with the fame and fortune at his disposal.

With that in mind, I agree with Doctor Bagsic that Manny should watch out.

He can go on and enjoy his prolonged R & R provided he does things in moderation, as sages are wont to say.

With Marco Antonio Barrera now temporarily out of Manny Pacquiao's menu for 2007, the question is what's next for the Pacman?

The earliest that our "Pambansang Kamao" will return to action will be in April, when he will face an opponent to be picked from a list of worthy challengers.

Now will the long lay-off bother Manny?

I don't think so. Ring rust will be the least of Pacquiao's worries. To date, I still believe that he is the hardest working boxer around!

So what will keep Manny busy from now 'til he returns to the Wildcard gym in Los Angeles for his next fight preparations?

For one, Manny can take the extra time off to rest his overworked body that saw him take 2006 via storm en route to being hailed as Ring Magazine's "2006 Boxer of the Year."

The Pacman can also wait for the US courts to decide on the contractual dispute between Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions and Bob Arum's Top Rank.

Or maybe, as Manny himself kidded, he will work on his singing for his next concert.

After a banner year in 2006 that drew inspiration from such heroes like Manny Pacquiao, Efren 'Bata' Reyes, Leo Oracion, Pastour Emata, Romi Garduce, Biboy Rivera, Ronnie Alcano, Violito Payla, Joan Tipon and Rene Catalan, things are looking up for Philippine sports.

First to plunge into action will be our cuemasters led by the ageless Reyes,who will try to assert their worldwide dominance when they ply the American,European and Asian tour.

Pacquiao, though in the middle of a brewing controversy, will face WBC super featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera in March.

A hostile crowd awaits our national athletes in September when they to defend our SEA Games crown in Thailand.

Win or lose,our sports heroes will again show the world the kind of fighting hearts we Pilipinos have.

Laban Pinoy!