00:00The Go4Gold Philippine Navy Lady Sailors are among the finalists in the inaugural season of the Women's Maharlika Filipinas Basketball League
00:09which will start this January.
00:11What can the Filipino hoop fans expect from them?
00:14That's what we'll find out in the story of teammate Rafael Bandairel.
00:20The Philippine Navy wants to prove that they have something to offer when it comes to basketball.
00:27They will have the opportunity to do so in their participation in the inaugural season of the Women's Maharlika Filipinas Basketball League or WMEDL.
00:37The name Go4Gold Philippine Navy Lady Sailors is a big hit.
00:41They are one of the 14 teams that will be formed in the All-Women's Tournament.
00:47For the Lady Sailors and former National Basketball Team players,
00:51Karen Lumogda and Chovy Borja,
00:54the establishment of the WMPBL is a big opportunity for the ladies basketball players in the country.
01:01Maybe for me, it's because of our age.
01:04We don't have that much support in the Philippine women's basketball.
01:10So this is like a stepping stone for the future ballers in the Philippines.
01:16I'm blessed.
01:18We still have a long way to go.
01:22WMPBL is a blessing for me.
01:27I've been playing basketball for decades, since college.
01:33Ewon Ayari, coach of the Lady Sailors and former National Team member,
01:40is one of the reasons why I joined this tournament.
01:45Actually, that's my mindset.
01:47Every time I play, I don't just represent myself as a Philippine Navy.
01:52I also represent the people in our team who really play for the country.
01:56The places where it's really hard to go.
02:02There are so many of them.
02:04That's why we're blessed to be allowed by Go4Gold and Carlos V.H.
02:09to represent the West Philippine team here in the Philippines.
02:12It represents unity.
02:14It's not because we're not in the war,
02:18we don't have anything to do with it.
02:20We bring them to our team.
02:23The inaugural season of WMPBL will be held on Sunday, January 19,
02:29at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion.
02:33Rafael Bandayrel, for Atletang Pilipino, for a new Philippines.
