TO be revived after a decade-long absence, the Women’s Philippine Basketball League, aimed to uplift local competition to at least the Southeast Asian level, has been given a five-year lease on life.

Whether that would be enough to produce a SEA Games champion team, or even an Asian Games contender, remains to be seen. The seeds of development have been sowed, however, and there should be no way but up for local belles.

This was the consensus yesterday as the eight participating teams in the revival of the country’s only semi-commercial women’s league were presented to the public by PBL Commissioner Chino Trinidad and Chairman Mikee Romero of Harbour Centre.

"It’s high time that we gave them (women players) an opportunity to play even after their college days. Lt us support the WPBL. The future of women’s basketball is here. By reviving this tournament, I’m sure we can put up a competitive team in the next SEA Games," said Romero, who is behind the revival of the tourney last held a decade ago.

"We are determined top uplift the level of competition in women’s basketball. That’s why we’ve set the stage for the tournament for five years, so that female players will have a league of their own," said Trinidad. "If we can help our male players, there’s no reason why can’t we help our female players."

Fielding teams in the league opening on Nov. 8 to coincide with the start of the PBL’s first conference this season are Nutri-C, RFM, Smart, Muscle Tape, Discovery Suite, Oracle Residence, Bacchus Energy Drink and Ever Bilena of former PBL chairman Dioceldo Sy. Awaiting by the league to join is Pharex.

To jazz up the league’s return, UAAP arch-rivals Ateneo and La Salle have been tapped by Nutri-C and RFM to carry their colors while the rest of the competing squads have also tapped the cores of various school teams.

Nutri-C, one of the leading juice drinks in the country, will have the core of Ateneo for its players while RFM of Joey Concepcion, a long-time PBL supporter, will bankroll the participation of the Lady Archers.

Joel Lopa of Nutri-C lauded the efforts of the PBL in reviving the women’s league, saying: "With the revival of the WPBL, I’m sure college players will now an extra motivation to work and play hard because they have something to look up to after their college days."

Patrick Gregorio of Smart Sports said the revival of women’s basketball has been his dream during his time as executive director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

"Women’s basketball needs a new direction and this was my priority project before. With Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan as president of SBP, we are going to support this project all the way," said Gregorio.

Smart Sports, according to Gregorio, has made University of the Philippine as its partner school while Oracle has teamed up with UAAP champion Far Eastern University.

Ever Bilena coach Patrick Aquino said they are eyeing players from University of Santo Tomas and other colleges to make up their team.