To show their unwavering love for the country, members of the Philippine team that will see action in the first regional professional league - the Asean Basketball League – will be called as Patriots.

This was announced on Saturday by RP team sponsors Mikee Romero of Harbour Centre and Tony Boy Cojuangco of ABC 5 after a series of consultations with various sectors on how best to improve the image for Filipino players in the international scene.

“We’re very proud of our historical and cultural heritage, so we decided that we take Patriots as our moniker in the ABL,” said Romero. “Just like what the great Ninoy Aquino said, ‘Filipino is worth dying for.’”

Several names were suggested but the “Patriots” submitted by Bandera’s Mike Lee caught the attention of Cojuangco, Romero, and ABC 5 president Bobby Barreiro.

The team’s logo will be formally unveiled on Tuesday which is also the launching of the league at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati.

According to Cojuangco and Romero, team owners and representatives of five other countries that will take part in the home-and-away tournament are also arriving.

Cojuangco believes the league has great potential to become a “big thing” in the region since its primary aim is to produce an Asean basketball hero, create a new rivalry, and promote Asean brands in the market since basketball is acknowledged as the world’s second most popular sport next to football (soccer).