Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao. PBA Images
MANILA, Philippines – Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao offered a gentle reminder to voters as more athletes enter Philippine politics.
Guiao, who served as vice governor of Pampanga for nine years and was a congressman for one term, said voters should be more careful in choosing their candidates and reminded them to study the politicians well.
"Ang sinasabi ko rin sa mga bumoboto, 'hindi porke basketball player, artista, or sikat, eh iboboto mo. Pag-aralan niyo mabuti kung anong klase pagkatao niya, kung ano 'yung programa niya, kung ano 'yung record niya before, kung may kaalaman siya doon sa pinasok niya,'" Guiao told ABS-CBN News on Wednesday at the PhilSports Arena.
A number of sportspersons have filed their candidacies for the 2025 midterm elections such as former Senator Manny Pacquiao, re-electionists San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora, Councilors James Yap and Don Allado, Renren Ritualo (running for San Juan councilor), Kenneth Duremdes of MPBL partylist, Congressman Franz Pumaren (Quezon City 3rd district), Cebu City Vice Mayor "Cebuano Hotshot" Dondon Hontiveros, Danny Ildefonso (running for Urdaneta, Pangasinan councilor), and most recently Jeric Teng (running for Gumaca, Quezon councilor), among others.
READ: Guiao says SC decision on PAGCOR, PCSO remittances can't be a 'moral victory'
Guiao, who won a victory for Filipino athletes in the Supreme Court (SC) about a month ago, also said that he would not endorse a basketball player just because they came from the same field.
"So 'di ko naman ie-endorse kunwari ang isang basketball player dahil pareho kami ng pinanggalingan. Nasa sa botante din 'yan na mamili pa rin sila. 'Wag lang 'yung sikat ang iboboto nila," he said.
The PBA champion coach however made it clear that he has no problem seeing his fellow sportspersons throw their hats in the political arena.
"Wala naman akong problema do'n, 'no. Kung gusto nilang maramdaman kung pa'no magsilbi as a politician, okay lang 'yon," he stressed.
For Guiao, however, his time in politics is over and he has settled with coaching.
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His PBA team, Rain or Shine, is in the semifinals of the ongoing 2024 PBA Governors' Cup.
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"I chose basketball, masaya naman ako rito. Kung gusto mo magsilbi, pwede ka naman magsilbi kahit wala ka sa pulitika," Guiao said.
READ: Pro basketball player Jeric Teng tries luck in politics
Guiao recently scored a landmark victory with the SC after it ordered the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to remit a portion of their income for the funding of the Philippine Sports Commission, granting the petition for mandamus that he filed during his time as a congressman.
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