The country’s national basketball team is getting a new set of wheels.

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) announced in a July 2023 press statement that it has turned over two 29-seater Toyota Coaster units with custom livery. The players, coaching staff and management will use these for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 from Aug. 25 to Sept. 10, 2023.

The event will be co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. The Philippines has taken part in six previous World Cup competitions and has hosted the event once before.

TMP officially announced its major sponsorship deal with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), the country’s national sports association for basketball, and Gilas Pilipinas on January 2023.

“This is the spirit of our ‘Start Your Impossible’ global sports campaign,” said TMP president Atsuhiro Okamoto. 

“With this partnership with FIBA through SBP, and unity basketball brings to Filipinos, we are always moving closer to our goal of producing happiness for all,” he added.

The SBP said TMP will also help with conducting basketball clinics and coaches camps, which aim to share knowledge at the grassroots level.

Strong athletic roots

Toyota has long been a big name in Philippine basketball, especially during the era of TMP’s predecessor, the Delta Motor Corporation of Dante Silverio.

The company played in the Philippine Basketball Association from 1975 to 1983, winning nine championships.

Notable players include former senator Robert Jaworski, Danny Florencio and incumbent Philippine Sports Commission chair Ramon Fernandez.

Do you think Toyota can relive its basketball glory days with Gilas Pilipinas?

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