David secures P15.1M pact

MANILA, Philippines - Powerade top gun Gary David, who consistently dished off A-1 performance in the recently concluded PBA Philippine Cup, will receive a three-year contract-extension deal worth P15.1 million.

David’s existing contract is to expire July but he’s been assured by the team management of a new pact involving a monthly pay of P420,000 – the maximum under the league’s amended salary cap rule.

“Nothing has come out in black-and-white yet. But Boss JB (Baylon) has asked me how long the extension would be. I said three years and he said ‘okay,’” David told The STAR.

“I’m happy there’s no lengthy negotiation for me to get a contract securing the future of my family,” David added.

David has got an inspiring rags-to-riches story. An obscure talent out of college intramurals, he made the pros as 10th draft pick and shone to be a Best Player of the Conference awardee.

“I have a simple formula – don’t stop to improving your game,” said the Dinalupihan, Bataan native who has emerged as a legitimate star in his eighth season in the pros.

David said he won’t change his ways, and vow to work even harder in his hope to win an elusive PBA championship.

So far, he has got two finals appearances, including the one with Powerade versus Talk n Text.

As a 10th draft pick in 2004, David started in the PBA with a monthly pay of only P70,000.

But he has since evolved to be a feared offensive player and his pay also improved. He received P250,000 a month in 2009, P300,000 in 2010 and P350,000 at present.

He believes he’s setting a good example to his fellow players, living the tenet “nothing beats hard work.”

Realistic that he can’t play forever, David has made some investments, having a 10-door residential/commercial apartment in Pandi, Bulacan.

“I’m planning to add more apartment units and enter into livestock business,” said David, married to Jenny Rose with two kids in Maxene (turning nine on Feb. 8) and Gariel (4).

David has gone a long way from being just an intramural player at Lyceum, the same school he later powered to three runner-up finishes in the NCRAA versus a star-studded St. Francis of Assisi team led by brothers Yancy and Ranidel de Ocampo.

From Lyceum, he hooked up with the Montana Pawnshop team in the defunct PBL, winning an MVP award in 2003.

In the same year, he made the Philippine team to the Vietnam SEA Games, starring with Ranidel de Ocampo, James Yap, Rich Alvarez, Marc Pingris, Celino Cruz, Ervin Sotto and Wesley Gonzales in bringing home the gold medal.

Meanwhile, Meralco drubbed Rain or Shine, 89-77, in a tune-up match at the Meralco Gym yesterday that was marred by a near free-for-all. The incident was triggered by a flagrant foul by Meralco import Jelani McCoy on Chito Jaime.