SENATOR Manny Pacquiao tasked Chooks-to-Go to handle the operations of the shuttered Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
Pacquiao and Chooks-to-Go President Ronald Mascariñas formally forged their new partnership on Sunday evening.
“I am elated to have this new partnership given that Chooks-to-Go is a very organized organization especially in basketball,” Pacquiao said. “I saw the world-class event of their one-day invitational league in San Fernando [Pampanga] and I was impressed.”
The Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 Invitational tournament was held last Wednesday in San Fernando, Pampanga.
“They are the only group in partnership with Fiba 3×3 in the country,” Pacquiao said. “With that, they basically know what they are doing. I am thankful to Kuya Ronald and I can only entrust the MPBL to Chooks-to-Go.”
Chooks-to-Go and the MPBL signed a five-year deal that saw the country’s largest roasted chicken retail business become the league’s title sponsor in December 2019.
Now, Chooks-to-Go will also handle the league’s operations.
“Being a presidential candidate is no easy task and we understand the busy schedule of the senator,” Mascariñas said. “That is why we accepted the gargantuan responsibility to take over the full basketball operations of the MPBL. We will work hand in hand with Commissioner Kenneth [Duremdes] in this endeavor.”
The MPBL is currently in the early stages of holding an invitational tournament for its member teams to close out the year. Chooks-to-Go is also planning to integrate its 3×3 basketball program with the league.
Pacquiao founded the MPBL in 2017 after seeing the country’s need to have a regional men’s semi-professional basketball league. The league has held three tournaments—Rajah, Datu and Lakan—since then.
In 2019, Chooks-to-Go also founded its own professional 3×3 basketball league, Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3 which is endorsed by Fiba 3×3 and regulated by the Games and Amusements Board.
This new development will not change the commitment of Chooks-to-Go in supporting regional professional leagues Pilipinas Vismin Super Cup and National Basketball League-Pilipinas, according to Mascariñas.
“The company believes that these leagues are a step to level the playing field for players in the countryside to have the same opportunities in basketball as a source of livelihood,” he said.