DUBAI // A school gym in Satwa will host a basketball showdown between the Philippines and India today when the DCBL All Stars take on the Blue Rhine Eagles.
Rante Bautista, governor of the Dubai Community Basketball League (DCBL) and organiser of the event, said the aim was not just to build the relationship between Filipino and Indian expatriates.
"This is also a fund raising activity for our countryman, Larry Castro, who needs financial assistance for his bone-marrow transplant," said Mr Bautista.
Mr Castro, 33, has leukaemia and is in Dubai Hospital. He was a shelf stocker at Al Maya Lal's Supermarket in Dubai before he fell ill. A bone-marrow transplant in the Philippines would cost him Dh500,000, but the procedure is cheaper in India - about Dh200,000. His mother is a possible donor, but another option is to look in India for others who match his tissue type.
"The doctors are now waiting for my sample," he said. "I could never thank the DCBL enough for their support. Rante told me that they will keep raising funds for my bone-marrow transplant."
The Filipino players for the match were selected from 27 teams that took part in the recent DCBL Ramadan League and will be headed by the Jazzville coach, Roland Crisostomo.
Another coach, Sunil Mathew, leads the Blue Rhine Eagles team, one of the best performing teams in the Indian Basketball Society League. Team members include Kevin Varghese and Usman Kunda.
"We feel that we belong to a larger community when we play with other expats," Mr Mathew said.
"We develop better camaraderie with them and we break the boundaries of our nationalities. We just play and have fun, regardless of our religion or lifestyle."
The exhibition match will take place at 4pm at the Zayed bin Sultan Boy's School gym in Satwa. Spectators will be asked to make a small donation at the door.
* With additional reporting by Ramona Ruiz
