Heavy rain in Manila threatens Game 5 of PBA Finals; decision expected on gameday

Manila, the capital of the Philippines, has witnessed torrential rains over the past week, leading to flooding in several areas of the city. A new tropical depression now poses an additional threat of more rain in Metro Manila.

Due to the ongoing weather conditions and the persistent threat of increased rainfall, there is a strong possibility that Game 5 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup Finals, scheduled for Wednesday, July 23, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, could be rescheduled.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial confirmed that a final decision regarding the game will be made around noon on Wednesday. He added that he is approaching the situation similarly to how local mayors decide whether to suspend classes and work due to incoming typhoons.

“Syempre hindi ka rin mapakali, so I’m checking the weather all the time. Kanina, I also had to decide whether to let the PBA staff report to the office. You can’t decide too early, because it might not be raining in the morning when you announce a cancellation, but then it pours in the afternoon — that would be hard on the teams and the fans,” Marcial said during a media interaction.

“On the other hand, you also can’t cancel the game in the morning and then have the sun come out in the afternoon. We’ve had experiences like that before,” he added.

Kume in a bind 🤔

There are a a lot of factors to consider for PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial when it comes to the possible postponement of Game 5 set on Wednesday at the Big Dome #PBA50 https://t.co/9zZ98uVnUg

— SPIN.ph (@spinph) July 22, 2025

Canceling a PBA Finals game is never an easy decision, as it involves multiple factors — including the safety of teams and fans, logistical issues, and the challenge of rebooking a venue, especially if the series goes to Game 7.

Additionally, a postponement could impact the Gilas Pilipinas national team, which is currently preparing for the upcoming 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, scheduled from August 5 to 17 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

A delay in the Finals could shorten the time Gilas players — who are also competing in the PBA Finals — have to recover and join training with the national team.

“We have to weigh it carefully. Kawawa naman ‘yung mga fans, especially those coming from the provinces who already made travel plans to watch Game 5. But at the same time, we have to consider their safety,” Marcial concluded.

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