UST champion coach Haydee Ong puts on another hat as commissioner of the newest women’s basketball league.
UST head coach Haydee Ong is taking on another role in women’s basketball as she was recently named commissioner of the newly-established Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
Though preoccupied with trying to lead the Growling Tigresses to back-to-back titles in UAAP Season 87, Ong said that she was eager to take on the part with the goal of pushing women’s basketball to the next level.
Slated to be the women’s counterpart to Manny Pacquiao’s MPBL, the WMPBL will serve as a pathway for female ballers across the country to aim for after their collegiate careers.
“Mga 2-3 weeks ago meron ng kumakausap sa amin na tao nila Senator Manny. And, nag-meeting [kami]. So, finally, I accepted the job. Sakit sa ulo ba? Hindi ba? Hindi naman,” quipped Ong.
“Because, yung love ko talaga for women's basketball, I think, yun yung bakit ko tinanggap is to give a new platform for women's basketball after collegiate talaga,” she added.
Among the pioneers of women’s basketball in the country, Ong has also put down the building blocks for the now-successful national team program under current coach Pat Aquino.
With the WMPBL offering a new platform for women ballers all over the Philippines, it’ll only do good for the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s program.
“At the same time, syempre, the more tournament or the more league na ganito, mas marami tayong made-develop for the national team na ng women’s. So, yun yung bottom line kung bakit ko tinanggap yung trabaho,” she said.
Though she has yet to formally meet with Sen. Pacquiao for the nitty gritty, Ong already has plans for the inaugural season of the league.
She’s looking at eight teams — with four coming from the UAAP — to play a centralized tournament at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan next year.
Learning from her years in the women’s basketball industry, she aims to build a better environment in the WMPBL.
“Gusto kong makita talaga magandang officiating. That's why, on the technical side, talagang aayusin namin para maganda yung kakalabasan ng mga laro ng babae,” she said.
Eventually looking to follow the format of the MPBL, Ong said it will be a sustainable model — especially with the support of a patron like Pacquiao.
“I think with the support of Senator Manny na naniwala siya na marami ng kababaihan na gusto maglaro ng basketball, I think number one yun, may support tayo kay senator [to be sustainable],” she said.
“And number two, dun sa mga private sectors and LGU, pag kinausap namin, because everybody will give their letter of intent, we will filter out kung sino talaga yung mga tao na matitino, na hindi lang fly-by-night na gagawa ng team,” she continued.
As for having to juggle her two roles, Ong doesn’t expect any problems with UST. She also had the full support of her management.
“I think hindi ako mahirapan because mayroon na talaga yung MPBL na structure sa organization nila. Nandun na lahat, pati table officials. So, ang trabaho ko talaga is to get yung mga technical, yung mga referees na mag-officiate. At the same time, filter out yung mga teams na sasali for this inaugural WMPBL,” said Ong.
“I’m so happy kasi this morning, tinext ako ni Father Rodel [Cansancio] talaga and he congratulated me and sabi niya all for women's basketball, UST is behind you. So, ganun ka-suporta yung UST for women's basketball,” she added.
But first things first for Ong and her Growling Tigresses, who will also be playing in the WMPBL: keeping the title in España for UAAP Season 87.
UST returns to action with a much anticipated rematch of last year’s Finals against the NU Lady Bulldogs on November 6, Wednesday, at the Mall of Asia Arena.