The 7th UNTV Cup, the only basketball tournament designed for the country’s public servants, opens on Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with the Senate Defenders hoping to become the first back-to-back champions of the league.
Backstopped by Jeff Sanders, Marlon Legaspi, Harley Ng and Senators Joel Villanueva and Sonny Angara, the Defenders swept the Malacañang Kamao in their best-of-three to raise the championship trophy for the first time last March.
Armed Forces of the Philippines and Judiciary have won the annual event twice but not successively which is the reason why coach Mike Fermin has prepared the Defenders early.
“We want to make a little history in the league so we prepared early for the tournament. Hopefully, nobody gets hurt as we go for back-to-back,” said Fermin.
Senate’s bid for a “double” was ruined by various injuries suffered by key players in the Executive Face-Off won by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Responders last July.
“We prepared hard because we know everybody is after us,” said Fermin, noting that newcomers Philhealth and Philippine International Trading Corporations have also formidable crews.
Also taking part in the P10 million tournament event organized by UNTV President and CEO Dr. Daniel (Mr. Public Service) Razon are National Housing Authority, Ombudsman, GSIS, Department of Justice and Department of Agriculture.
Like last year, the champion will get P4 million, with the runner-up getting P2 million—all will go to their chosen charities.
“We want to instil to our public servants the essence of physical fitness that’s why we are holding this tournament. This event will also give them the opportunity to interact with their fellow public servants,” said Razon, who is being supported by Gerry Panghulan, vice president for administration of BMPI-UNTV.
Among the notable players of the league are Special Assistant to the President Bong Go of Malacañang, DTI Undersecretary Dave Almarinez of PITC, Supreme Court Administrator Midas Marquez, former Letran star Boyet Bautista of AFP and ex-University of the East player Ollan Omiping of PNP.