Senators cheer for Gilas Pilipinas

Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri led fellow senators in cheering for Team Philippines and rejoiced with the country after Gilas Pilipinas' “convincing” 96-75 victory over China's basketball team during their FIBA World Cup match Saturday.

“This was the most important game of all. For our pride and for our motherland the Philippines,” Zubiri said. “We may not have won any of our games for the world championships but this win was the sweetest of all.”

He was joined by Senate Majority Leader Emmanuel Joel Villanueva and Senators Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano, Christopher “Bong” Go, and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. The senator wore shirts marked “West Philippine Sea.”

Photo courtesy of Sen. Joel Villanueva

Photo courtesy of Sen. Joel Villanueva

“And just like in the arbitrary ruling we had a commanding and convincing victory against China. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas,” Villanueva said.

He was referring to the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration favoring the Philippines and invalidating China's “nine-dash line” policy in the South China Sea which encroached on the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Dela Rosa said they wore similar shirts to “awaken the patriotic spirit of our Gilas Pilipinas and motivate them to exhaust all their remaining talents, skills and teamwork in order to secure the victory which is symbolic for us Filipinos in light of the recent developments in the West Philippine Sea.”

“Equally important is that this win over China's team is a morale-boosting win for every Filipino, especially amid recent challenges we are facing over the West Philippine Sea,” Go said.