Chooks Pilipinas 3x3 joins the professional ranks

The movement takes a new step.

The Games and Amusement Board has given its approval to the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 as a professional league, joining the Philippine Basketball Association and the Philippines Football League.

The announcement was made on Wednesday, with GAB chairman Baham Mitra and league commissioner Eric Altamirano gracing the ceremony on the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas Facebook page.

Mitra says, "We'd like to announce that in the board meeting of the Games and Amusement Board yesterday, we have accepted the interest of Chooks-to-Go 3x3 to turn professional."

In response, Altamirano replies, "I'd like to thank the Games and Amusement Board, headed by Chairman Baham Mitra, for allowing our sports organization, Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3, to become a professional league."

Founded by Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. president Ronald Mascarinas, Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3's objective was to help the Philippines gain enough points in the FIBA 3x3 rankings to earn a spot in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which the event will make its debut in.

Said efforts allowed the league to get themselves a fighting chance for that spot, as the country made it into the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in the men's division. Originally scheduled to take place in India, the coronavirus pandemic has rescheduled the tourney to Austria next year.

Altamirano adds, "I really believe that we Filipinos have a very strong chance of excelling in this sport. We all know what happened last year. For the first time, we were able to qualify for the Olympic Qualifiers. 16 lang naman yung nag-qualify and we were one of them. It only shows that Filipinos can excel in this, considering na maliliit tayo. I don't think height really matters when it comes to 3x3."

The move to become a professional league will allow Filipino hoopers to have another platform to aspire to. According to Altamirano, "This will provide our local players the opportunity to explore possibilities as a professional career in the 3x3 league. Gusto namin maging something aspirational for young 3x3 players."

The long time 3x3 advocate also shares, "Siguro iisipin ng iba, hindi ako pwede sa five-on-five, so there's another platform that they can really aspire to become a basketball player. And by having a pro league sa 3x3, then there's something na meron pala akong pupuntahan if I start playing the 3x3 at an early age."

The league believes that its elevation onto the professional ranks will help the Philippines be recognized as among the top nations in the 3x3 scene. Already home to the top ten 3x3 players in the country in the likes of Joshua Munzon, Alvin Pasaol, Dylan Ababou, Karl Dehesa, Leonard Santillan, Jaypee Belencion, Chris de Chavez, Ryan Monteclaro, Gab Banal, and Leo De Vera.

Munzon in particular expressed excitement with this development, having been part of the league since its inception. "It's pretty cool. It's definitely a step in the right direction in growing the game in the Philippines," he said. "It's pretty cool, from when we started the first 3x3 league in the Philippines to now that we're turning pro."

What started out as a dream has finally turned into reality as the groundbreaking Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 is now a professional league, following the approval of the Games and Amusement Board.

With this, the Philippines has joined the likes of Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and majority of European countries that have its own 3x3 pro league, something that Altamirano is extremely thrilled about.

But beyond being a platform, Altamirano strongly believes that finally having a 3x3 pro league will further help the Philippines in its aim of becoming a force to be reckoned with in the global 3x3 scene.

"'Yung pagiging professional ng Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 will help strengthen our drive in becoming a dominant force in the 3x3 sport all over the world," Altamirano said.