WHO is afraid of the novel coronavirus?
Not the Philippine Airlines (PAL). Or, more specifically, not PAL’s top guns.
Amid the China-based virus scourge that had claimed nearly a thousand lives already (mostly in China) and thrown thousands under medical observation (again, the majority of them are either quarantined or confined in hospitals in China), the longest running team golf event known worldwide as the PAL Interclub is pushing through as scheduled.
Never mind that many of the country’s major sporting events are either postponed indefinitely or moved to a later date like the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
In a move that caused nary a ripple, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial moved from March 1 to March 8 the opening of the PBA’s 45th season.
As if one week would be enough to kill, if not douse, fears of the not-airborne virus as regards league fans getting contaminated by the admittedly deadly virus once the PBA faithful show up for the games.
Better safe than sorry—if one week is, indeed, enough to quell the Chinese menace?
Anyway, to each its own and as we peruse the sporting landscape and analyze matters, it would seem that PAL officials showed valor when they flashed the green light—after they got clearance from medical authorities, I’m sure.
Only the undiscerning are incapable of exhausting all means to ensure the safety of those under their care—in this case the thousands of golfers putting their faith in the hands of well-meaning PAL honchos.
The numbers alone are staggering, with 97 teams of four members each entered in the 34th PAL Seniors Interclub, including some 45 clubs flying in from the United States, Canada, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand for the Feb. 26-29 tournament in Bacolod City.
Next would be the bunches more joining PAL Interclub’s 73rd men’s regular on March 4-7, also at Bacolod’s Marapara and Binitin in Murcia town.
And then what about the PAL Media Golf, the one I won in 1997? It’s also a go on March 1-2. But that’s another story.