Manila: Senator Francis Pangilinan announced that the Philippines Men's Basketball Team, known as Gilas Pilipinas, is set to gain a significant advantage. This comes as the Senate passed the second reading of a measure allowing American basketball player Bennie Boatwright to acquire Filipino citizenship.

According to Philippines News Agency, Pangilinan emphasized that granting Boatwright Filipino citizenship will enable him to join Gilas Pilipinas, thereby enhancing the team's competitiveness in international tournaments such as the Asian Games and the FIBA Games. Standing at 6'10", Boatwright is expected to provide a height advantage for the team, which is crucial in leveling the playing field against neighboring countries with naturalized players.

Records indicate that Indonesia and Lebanon have five naturalized players each, while Japan has 12. The Philippines, in contrast, currently has six naturalized basketball players. Pangilinan highlighted the importance of these statistics, stating, "This gives us a sense of the competition out there in terms of naturalized players of their respective countries mentioned." He further noted that having a pool of naturalized players would offer the coaches greater flexibility in assembling a strong team.

Addressing concerns about Boatwright's allegiance to the Philippines, Pangilinan assured that these issues were thoroughly examined during committee hearings. He stated that winning championships should not be the sole criterion for naturalizing athletes who seek to make the Philippines their home.

"We made sure, through our questions, to determine his willingness to embrace Filipino culture, to settle down in the Philippines, and whether he associated himself with Filipinos and Filipino-Americans while in the US," Pangilinan explained. He stressed that there must be a commitment not only to play basketball for the country but also to embrace Filipino identity and values.