'Mahalaga kami': NBA Cares uplifts Gawad Kalinga community in Bulacan through sports

MANILA, Philippines — The Gawad Kalinga (GK) Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan was enriched through sports on Monday as the NBA treated community members to a basketball court dedication and youth clinic under the league's global social resposibility program NBA Cares.

Led by NBA Asia Head of Basketball Operations Carlos Barroca and New Orleans Pelicans player Herbert Jones, some 20 boys and girls from the GK community were the first to try a newly refurbished court at the Enchanted Farm as they participated in morning filled with basketball drills and agriculture activities.

The activity was held as part of the league-wide NBA 75th Live, Learn or Play initiative where they aim to create more than 100 NBA Cares centers across the globe.

Along with Barroca and Jones, alumni of the Jr. NBA Philippines program took part in the clinic to support the GK youth's basketball aspirants.

Barroca, who has made multiple trips to the Philippines for such activities, raved about being able to give back to the community.

"We had a great day, that's all I can say and when we are giving back, we feel better than ever," Barroca told Philstar.com.

"We just hope that in years to come, this court is still here, still used for kids, for adults to play basketball and have a better of quality of playing and a better quality of life because they enjoy so much basketball," he added.

All-Rookie Second Team member Jones mirrored Barroca's sentiments, and said that he was able to feel the passion of the youth for basketball — something that he expects to bring with him after the camp.

"It's not the ideal environment, you know, that a kid would want to grow up in but you know, you can't change the circumstances once you're in it. I just love that they were smiling the entire time, enjoying, and not really caring about what was going on around them," Jones said of the experience.

"[They're] just trying to get better and having fun out here, I mean, that's what I'm left with — the energy and the love for the game that they have," he continued.

The Enchanted Farm is GK's platform to "raise social entrepreneurs, help local farmers, and create wealth in the country side", according to the poverty alleviation and nation-building movement.

Bigger than sports

But more than the refurbished basketball court and the goodies that the 20 campers were able to receive from the NBA, GK Chairman Luis Oquinena underscored the impact of the event to the community.

Shortly after the clinic concluded, Oquinena bared just how important the small event was for the 15-hectare community — which is just one of the thousands of communities that GK oversees in its quest to end poverty among Filipino families.

"[For] the kids here, they're not just super excited but really looking forward to have this, now they can play on the court na may pangalan NBA, the proximity [they had] with Herb [Jones], with coach [Carlos Barroca]. Because it really, for them, it becomes 'hindi pala impossible', at saka 'mahalaga kami' na pinuntahan kami ng NBA na napapanood lang namin [dati] sa TV," Oquinena said.

"So somebody like Herb, makikita nila, [New Orleans] Pelican pero ang layo, halos impossible. Yun yung sinusubukan namin sa Gawad Kalinga na basagin yung pagkaimpossible ng pagtatapos ng kahirapan. Basagin yung pagka-impossible ng pagtatapos ng gutom, and malaking bagay yun," he added.

The role of the NBA, through Jones and Barroca and the rest of their team in the Enchanted Farm, is something that is priceless for the GK Chairman.

From what seemed to be far away, and impossible, Oquinena hopes that it can bring out the best in his community.

"[T]he inspiration, the encouragement of NBA Cares na andito sila. Alam mo, ang laki, NBA, tapos andito sa Bulacan, Angat, diba? Yun. Malaking bagay, malaking bagay," he said.