PBA to relax eligibility rules for Fil-foreigners starting next rookie draft

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) plans to implement a less stringent set of rules on Filipino-foreigners who wish to see action in Asia's pioneering professional league.

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas on Tuesday said the relaxing of the said rules will start by next season.

"If you can still remember, we had a study group to look at some of the changes and update the policies of the board and one of them is about the Fil-foreigners," said Vargas on Tuesday's episode of Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.

"We will basically look at Fil-foreigners less stringently now so as long as they have Filipino blood, and they can get their passports and they are able to come and play for us, we will look at them with less rules."

Before, Fil-foreigners who want to throw their names into the PBA Rookie Draft are met with a number of requirements. Aside from the Philippine passport, they also had to secure Certificate of Recognition as Filipino Citizen from the Bureau of Immigration and Affirmation of Recognition as Filipino Citizen from the Department of Justice.

These number of requirements were what prompted the likes of Jason Brickman, Jeremiah Gray, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser to miss the Season 46 Draft last March.

By adjusting the league rules, according to Vargas, the PBA could entice more players to come and play.

"We'll bring the world to the PBA like the NBA, but at the same time try to also balance it so that we’ll also be able to give jobs to our players who are here," Vargas added.

"We’re looking forward to that in the next draft. We understand that a lot of Fil-foreigners are interested in coming over and playing for the PBA."

Vargas added that they have also increased the limit of five Fil-foreigner players who are allowed to suit up per team to seven.

"We said that a team is allowed to have at least seven Fil-foreigners. In that way, we will make the PBA more exciting."

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News