GAB shaping up to better deliver on its responsibilities — Mitra
THE government agency tasked with regulating and supervising professional sports and allied activities in the country, the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) is continuing to build its legs to better deliver on its responsibilities, especially during this time of the coronavirus pandemic.
This was the assurance made by GAB Chairman Baham Mitra as he graced the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.
Busier of late as different professional sports organizations and stakeholders turn to them for direction amid the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Mr. Mitra said the GAB is holding its own, taking on the challenge head-on and adjusting accordingly.
“We’re not saying that we’re total ready but we’re getting there. We know this is a health issue and among the things we’re doing is mobilizing our medical group, making it stronger to be of assistance for groups seeking our help,” said Mr. Mitra.
As an organization, the GAB oversees the affairs of pro sports and activities like association football, boxing, basketball, billiards and esports as well as cockfighting and horse racing.
Among its duties is to combat and prevent the existence and proliferation of different forms of organized illegal gambling connected with all play-for-pay sports and amusement games, issue licenses to pro sports practitioners, and grant permits to holding of pro sports events and activities.
Recently, the GAB, along with the Department of Health and Philippine Sports Commission, was tasked by the government to come up with a Joint Administrative Order (JAO) to be used during the pandemic.
The JAO contains the implementing guidelines governing the conduct of professional and nonprofessional sports training while the country is under community quarantine, and grants approval for organizations which sought for the document to resume some activities.
The Philippine Basketball Association, Philippines Football League, Chooks-to-Go 3×3 Pilipinas, and the Philippine SuperLiga have been given a JAO and are preparing to resume activities once conditions permit them.
Mr. Mitra said what they are doing during this time of the pandemic is just a continuation of their push in the last few years, anchored on making necessary changes for improvement and adapting with the times.
“Many have noticed that a lot of changes have been happening within GAB and it is related to the call of the government to institute changes and we’re taking cue from that,” the GAB chairman said.
“Well we have been employing a reorganization, adapting with the times in how certain sports and activities are being done. We are also doing automation in our processes,” Mr. Mitra added.
Mr. Mitra went on to say that just like the country’s sporting community, they, too, in GAB cannot wait for sports activities to resume but recognize that because of the uncertainty brought about by COVID-19 things have to be rightfully and carefully done.
“We just have to follow government rules in relation to the pandemic. We don’t want sports to take the blame in case there are new cases that come up. Hopefully things get better at the end of the year,” Mr. Mitra said. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
