MANILA – Gilas Pilipinas suffered a tough 75-54 defeat at the hands of Lebanon in the Doha International Cup early Sunday (PH time) at the QU Sports and Events Center in Qatar.

Despite missing key players Wael Arakji and Omari Spellman, Lebanon leaned on their defensive intensity to dismantle the Filipinos. Gilas held a 46-40 lead with three minutes left in the third quarter, but Lebanon responded with an 11-2 run to end the period ahead, 51-48. The Lebanese squad then dominated the final frame, outscoring Gilas 24-6 to seal the win.

Gilas struggled offensively, shooting just 30% from the field, including a poor 4-of-26 from beyond the arc, while committing 19 turnovers. Gerard Hadidian and Jad Khalil led Lebanon with 18 points each.

Justin Brownlee was the lone bright spot for Gilas, finishing with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and an assist. The loss dropped the Philippines to a 1-1 record, tying Lebanon in the standings after failing to build on their 74-71 comeback win over host Qatar.

Gilas will wrap up its campaign against Egypt, which routed Qatar 83-54. A win against Egypt and a Lebanon loss to Qatar would still keep Gilas in the hunt for the tournament title. However, if Lebanon wins, the Philippines would need to beat Egypt by at least 31 points to top the standings.

The Doha International Cup serves as a warm-up for the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers set later this month.

ia/mnm

MANILA — The Philippine men’s national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, is set to take on three international opponents in the upcoming 2nd Doha International Cup, scheduled for February 2025.

The tournament will be held in Doha, Qatar, where Gilas will face off against Qatar, Lebanon, and Egypt in a series of high-stakes friendly matches.

Gilas Pilipinas will begin their campaign on February 15, Saturday, against host nation Qatar at 1:30 AM (PST). The following day, February 16, Sunday, they will face Lebanon at 11:00 PM (PST), before concluding the series on February 17, Monday, with a match-up against Egypt at 1:30 AM (PST).

The tournament provides a crucial opportunity for head coach Tim Cone and his squad to sharpen their skills and build team chemistry ahead of future international competitions.

Fans can expect a high level of basketball, as Gilas looks to continue its strong showing on the global stage.

With international teams like Qatar, Lebanon, and Egypt boasting solid rosters, the upcoming friendlies are expected to serve as a valuable test for Gilas’ preparations.

The matches will be streamed live, with fans from both the Philippines and the Middle East eagerly anticipating a showcase of top-tier basketball.

Stay tuned for more updates and live coverage as Gilas Pilipinas takes on the best of the region in Doha.

ia/mnm

By Junex Doronio

MANILA – Amid escalating tensions in Lebanon, 15 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the troubled country have postponed their repatriation this week, hoping to return to the Philippines by next month.

This was revealed by Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Undersecretary Felicitas Bay during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.

“We recently received an update from our Migrant Workers Office that the repatriation has been rescheduled for October 2, so our fellow Filipinos, barring unforeseen circumstances, will arrive on October 3,” Bay told reporters.

She explained that the OFWs were originally set to return on September 26, but flights were suspended due to the heightened tensions in Lebanon.

The DMW official also mentioned that since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out in October last year, the government has successfully repatriated about 430 OFWs from Lebanon.

Bay emphasized that the repatriation remains voluntary, as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has raised the alert level in Lebanon to only Level 3.

“Again, this is a call for all Filipinos, not just OFWs, to heed the government’s advisory for voluntary repatriation,” Bay added.

ia/mnm

By Junex Doronio

DESPITE THE RAGING ARMED CONFLICT, more than 16,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) opted to stay in Lebanon as only six of them arrived in the Philippines early Friday morning.

Maharlika NuMedia learned that there are 17,000 Filipinos in Lebanon. Of the number, only about a hundred have requested for repatriation.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega earlier disclosed that many OFWs have decided to stay in Lebanon because of work, while some believe that the situation in Beirut is “business as usual.”

“We hope mas maraming sasagot dito at makauwi,” De Vega said.

The Philippine government placed Lebanon under Alert Level 3 on October 21, signifying voluntary repatriation.

The six OFWs arrived via Flight EK336 which departed from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3  past 6 a.m.

The returning OFWs composed the first batch of repatriates from Lebanon amid the ongoing armed clashes there between Israel and Hezbollah militants.

(ai/mnm)