The PBA board convenes Monday at the Manila Golf Club with the proposed amendments to the cap rule expected to become a sensitive issue in the agenda.
Receiving a copy of the proposals Wednesday, a PBA board representative told The STAR he expects heated discussions among the members of the board as they tackle the items.
PBA executive director Renauld Barrios said there are about eight items in their proposed package aimed at checking the skyrocketing cost of maintaining the teams which, if not stopped, could lead to the downfall of the league.
Barrios said the most sensitive item is the proposal to make the players’ contracts open to scrutiny since the PBA community must accept the fact that the players are public figures.
A board representative called it "a double-blade attack" as he hopes this measure could help minimize or curb the violation by the ballclubs in the salary cap rule and, at the same time, serve as the league’s contribution to nation-building with the players becoming models in efficiently paying taxes to the government.
"This proposal is attuned to the times because, if ever, this would be our answer to President Arroyo’s call for each citizen to do his bit to help the country get up on its feet," he said. "Remember the second envelope? Why will we keep our players’ salaries confidential? Are we hiding something?"
There are other salient items in the package that could work against the players.
One is the introduction of a cap to an individual player’s bonuses, another is the freezing of the team and individual salary cap for the next three years, and the prohibition of an item in a contract assuring marquee players automatic adjustment in pay check in case the league increases the individual cap.
At the moment, the team’s salary cap is P36.3 million a year and the individual salary cap P.5 million a month. And under the existing rules, the ballclubs have a bonus cap of 40 percent of their annual salary cap but each one isn’t barred from giving a big chunk of the pie to a star player.
"The commissioner is just trying to save the ballclubs from themselves. The commissioner is checking the skyrocketing expenses for the best interest of the ballclubs and the league. This is part of his responsibilities," said Barrios.
Meanwhile, pacesetter Shell presses its bid to gain a twice-to-beat incentive in the PBA All-Filipino Cup quarterfinals as it faces Pop Cola at the Araneta Coliseum today. Ginebra and Mobiline clash in the other game.