“Love of the Game”: Inside the Grit, Grace of the Pilipinas Aguilas

In the early hours of the morning, before the city stirs, the Pilipinas Aguilas are already grinding. Half the team – college athletes from Adamson University – are on the court by 7 a.m. for team practice. From there, it’s straight to classes, schoolwork, and training with their varsity squad. The older half of the roster? They lace up for practice, then clock into day jobs. One player works full-time in the Philippine Army. Others juggle office desks and online meetings.

Why?

For the love of the game. For the chance to finally, fully play it professionally.

The Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) is still in its infancy – no big sponsors, no primetime coverage, no promises of long-term security. But for women’s basketball players in the Philippines, it’s a start. A rare stage where passion isn’t a footnote – it’s the headline.

Trina Guytingco, once sidelined by a severe eye injury, didn’t hesitate when the opportunity came calling.

“Coach Eric Altamirano was actually the first one who messaged me,” she shared to ALL-STAR. “So, him being the first and only one who reached out to me, I said you know what, I think this is my chance.”

Doctors once told her to retire. Vision loss in her right eye had left her with no peripheral vision, compromised depth perception, and constant uncertainty. But she pushed back. She chose to fight. Months of rehab, running, and relearning the game brought her here.

“Basketball is my first love… Honestly, it’s a miracle that I was able to adjust to what happened. Yeah, I’m just thankful I could be here and still play.”

Now one of the older players on the squad, Trina jokes about feeling her age – calling herself “Tita” – but she’s embraced her new role as a leader in this team of diverse ages and backgrounds. More than that, she sees what this league means in the bigger picture.

“It gives girls another option other than volleyball… With something like this, with Women’s Basketball, you have to start somewhere, and this is where we’re starting.”

And the Aguilas are serious about building something sustainable. Behind the team’s rise is Head Coach Paolo Layug, a former PBA analytics coach whose data-driven mindset is paired with a quiet tenacity. He also currently serves as an assistant coach under Charles Tiu at College of Saint Benilde, where he often steps in as head coach for offseason tournaments. Layug’s presence brings not just Xs and Os – but a deep commitment to player development, culture, and trust.

Alongside him are Coach Altamirano and Luis Dela Paz – a constant presence who supports players both on and off the court – and you get more than just a coaching staff. You get mentors, role models, and believers.

For many players, that belief has changed everything.

France Mae “Chack” Cabinbin, 33, team captain and Army proctor by day, knows this path well. Her life was shaped by basketball — not just as a game, but as a way out.

“Since sa basketball, malaking bagay yung nagawa niya… nakapagaral at nakapagtapos ako because of basketball. Ngayon, because of basketball, narepresent ko ‘yung Philippines.”

Chack trains recruits in physical fitness, does security detail when needed, and still finds time to lead a professional team. Her message to younger players is simple: don’t just rely on talent – character, hustle, and heart matter more.

“Hindi man ako ganoon kalaki, at least sa sipag nalang.”

Her leadership extends far beyond the stat sheet. She helps organize team bonding – from post-game dinners to pool days – and has taken rising players like Lexi Pana under her wing.

“She’s very energetic, positive siya… Hindi siya yung pupunta dito para lang maglaro, nandito siya to share din yung knowledge niya about basketball and experience niya with Euro League.”

Pana’s journey is something else entirely. Born and raised in Hawaii, the 5’9″ guard played in Europe before landing in the Philippines – the country of her grandfather’s roots – for the very first time. Now 26, she’s become both a veteran presence and an emotional centerpiece for the Aguilas.

“I love it here, way better than I did in Europe,” she says. “They quickly became my family… we hang out together outside of basketball. This is actually probably the closest I am with all my teammates and not just a couple.”

Lexi, once laughed at in Europe for being a “short” point guard, finds herself playing post here – a position far from her comfort zone. But she’s rolling with it. “It’s helping my game,” she says, adapting to the fast-paced, guard-heavy play of the WMPBL.

She trains daily with either Coach Layug or Coach Altamirano, squeezing in extra shooting, staying ready for wherever her journey leads. But she’s torn – Europe beckons again, but the connection she’s built in Manila tugs at her heart.

“I kind of like it here because the season is short… but I feel like when I leave, I’ll be so sad because of how close I am with all these girls.”

That connection shows up in little moments – like the time after practice when Lexi pulled out her phone to film a TikTok. With music playing, she invited her coaches and teammates to join in. Most laughed and shook their heads, admiring her energy from the sidelines. But Lexi danced anyway – manifesting joy, motion, and light – exactly the kind of spark she brings to the group every day.

Lexi sees firsthand how hard her younger teammates hustle – the 6 a.m. wake-up calls, the double-training days, the classroom stress. She doesn’t take that for granted.

“They never have a bad attitude… They’re going all day long, and they never complain.”

That spirit – gritty, gracious, and quietly unbreakable – runs through every Aguilas player. It’s not just a team. It’s a collective act of faith. In a future where women’s basketball can thrive in the Philippines. In themselves. In each other.

The Pilipinas Aguilas are more than a roster. They’re a movement. A symbol of what it looks like to build when no blueprint exists — to show up, day in and day out, for the game they love, even when no one’s watching yet.

They aren’t just chasing a title. The Aguilas building a foundation.

So when Trina gets up at 5:30 a.m., or Chack pulls a four-hour duty shift before tipoff, or Lexi fights off homesickness while helping her young teammates adjust to the pros – it all comes back to one thing.

They just love the game. And they’ll give everything for it.