The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) has called the EASL to account.
According to veteran sports scribe Quinito Henson, GAB chairman Atty. Francisco Rivera has summoned EASL to a conference at the agency’s head office in Makati to resolve the debt issues raised by the PBA and the Macau Black Bears. The meeting was originally scheduled, but the regional basketball brand asked for a postponement. GAB legal chief Atty. Erose Marlo Laeno has since moved it to November 26.
What the PBA and Macau Are Asking
Both parties wrote to GAB about EASL’s outstanding financial obligations. The PBA said the debt relates to the Meralco Bolts’ participation last season and is reportedly in excess of $300,000. The league asked GAB to take three steps:
- Issue a formal directive requiring the regional league to submit a definitive timeline to settle the debt.
- Review the sanction and permit status of EASL events in the Philippines.
- Provide legal support to safeguard the commercial interests of Philippine basketball.
Macau also sent a letter to GAB over unpaid obligations. In a related development, a Taiwan team has raised similar issues, saying EASL owes it more than $1 million in unpaid prize money over the past two seasons.
CEO Says Bill Will Be Paid
In response to the complaints, Rivera directed the league to submit its comments, citing transparency and the continued harmonious relationship among professional basketball stakeholders under GAB’s jurisdiction.
League CEO Henry Kerins replied to GAB and said the Meralco bill would be settled. He also argued that EASL’s relationship with Macau does not involve playing within the Philippine ecosystem and is therefore not relevant to GAB. Kerins reiterated the league’s long-standing commitment to developing Philippine basketball and creating opportunities for clubs, players, and fans. He did acknowledge the problem, saying, “While EASL acknowledges that outstanding financial matters exist and remains committed to addressing them.”
Why It Matters
The stakes are not small for Philippine basketball. EASL holds games in the Philippines, and the PBA was represented by Meralco and the TNT Tropang 5G in the league’s inaugural season, then by Meralco and the San Miguel Beermen, before Meralco flew the PBA flag alone in 2025–26. This season, MPBL champion Abra Weavers joined the EASL, which means the country continues to have a stake in the regional league.
The November 26 conference is now the next test. GAB has the power to review sanction and permit status, which gives the PBA’s request some teeth. What EASL brings to the table in terms of a payment timeline will likely decide whether the matter ends there or escalates.
