President Marcos forms Inter-Agency Task Force for FIBA World Cup 2023 hosting

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has created an inter-agency task force to ensure the Philippines’ successful hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

The event is set to take place from August 25 to September 10, with the final phase to be held at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

The task force, led by Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chair Dickie Bachmann, will coordinate all government efforts with the plans and programs of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and its local organizing committee.

Heads of government departments, bureaus, government-owned or -controlled corporations, and state universities and colleges have been directed to extend full support and assistance to the PSC and SBP in their preparatory activities.

The success of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 requires the involvement, coordination, and support of all concerned government agencies, local government units, and the private sector, according to Administrative Order No. 5.

Non-government organizations and the private sector have been encouraged to support the country’s hosting of the event.

The inter-agency task force is composed of members from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Health, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Tourism, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration, Philippine National Police, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

The Philippines, ranked 40th in the world, has qualified for the event as one of the host countries, along with Indonesia and Japan. Manila previously hosted the event in 1978, where it finished in the top eight.

SBP President Al Panlilio expressed his appreciation for the task force’s creation, stating that it would aid immensely in the home stretch of preparations for hosting the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. 

“We at the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) are honored and humbled by the support from his Excellency President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr, with his creation of an Inter-Agency Task Force through Administrative Order No. 05,” Panlilio, in his statement, said.

“Likewise, the President’s encouragement of local government units, non-government organizations, and the private sector to lend their cooperation with the SBP will help ensure the sucessful hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for it to be a source of pride and joy for the Filipino people.”

In his statement, PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann expressed gratitude to the President and the leaders in the Senate and Congress for their support in delivering the best World Cup hosting in history.

He assured that the PSC would continue to work with the SBP and other vital agencies to create an amazing basketball environment that unites people and encourages them to “Win for All.”

The creation of the inter-agency task force ensures a coordinated and streamlined effort in preparation for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, which is expected to bring excitement and pride to Filipinos across the nation.

While the country’s FIBA World Cup hosting preparations shift to high gear, Gilas Pilipinas is also gearing up for the upcoming 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Cambodia.