For more than 40 years, the southern hoops have produced top-notched cagers that have placed marks in the hardcourt namely, June Mar Fajardo, James Yap, Dondon Hontiveros, Jeff Chan, Mark Barroca, Michael Tolomia, Jio Jalalon, Baser Amer, Scottie Thompson, Francis Arnaiz, and Ramon Fernandez.

“History shows that Visayas and Mindanao are home to the best of the best basketball players in the Philippines,” said Vicente Guingona.

“These players left an indelible legacy on the court. We are here to honor their legacy by discovering more players from our region and helping these prospects reach greater heights like their predecessors,” he added.

Teams from Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Mandaue, Roxas, Sindangan, and Pagadian have already shown their support for the season. 

Guingona firmly believed that this inaugural season can help provide a foundation for athletes who wants to enter the PBA league. 

“It has been years since we had our own league here. It’s high time for us to once again showcase what we have in terms of basketball. I believe we can still produce more top-caliber athletes that will leave a mark in Philippine basketball history,” he stated.

“If we look deeply into the list of best players in our country, many of them come from Visayas and Mindanao,” Guingona propounded. 

Guingona and his associates are looking forward to the IATF to give a go-signal, targeting the revival of the league by January or February next year.

“The groundwork has already been laid out. We are just waiting for the green light. We can rest assured that the health and safety of the teams and organizers will be of paramount importance,” he stated.

In 2006, the Cebu City councilor Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba and financial backer Michel J. Lhuillier formed a commercial basketball league named Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) which ceased shortly. 

Two years later, the MVBA merged with the National Basketball Conference to establish Liga Pilipinas but then ended in 2011. 

The tournament is targeting two conferences, one is exclusive for the locals and the other featuring foreign players. Games in the elimination round will be confined within their respective areas, waiving the need for long-distance travel.

In addition, each team is required to have at least six local cagers on its lineup.