THERE?s a good chance that basketball will be included in the calendar of events in the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos, after all.

Philippine Olympic Committee media bureau chief Joey Romasanta said yesterday that the Philippines? bid to include basketball in the biennial meet got a big boost after no less than Laos Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr. Thongloun Sisouilith promised to personally lobby for the inclusion of the sport for the Dec. 8 to 15 meet.

?We?re very optimistic that basketball will be played in Laos. Our friends in the diplomatic corps have been very supportive of our plea and they are lobbying very hard for the inclusion of the sport. As of the moment, we received positive response and it?s only a matter of time before the organizers accept our appeal,? said Romasanta.

According to Romasanta, former Laos ambassador and Overseas Media Correspondent president Antonio ?Tony? Cabangon Chua made a personal appeal for the inclusion of basketball to Sisouilith, a longtime associate and friend.

Chua told Romasanta that Sisouilith promised him that the inclusion of basketball in the SEA Games is already ?a done deal.?

?We?re very grateful for the efforts of Mr. Cabangon Chua. His persistent lobbying is a plus factor for the organizers to reconsider their earlier decision to exclude basketball,? said Romasanta.

Actually, the Laos organizers have already signed the memorandum of agreement, which said that the Philippines will provide assistance and management and supervision of the technical aspect for basketball.

But surprisingly, in the official lists of sports released last week by the organizers, basketball was not included.

?We have stated in the memorandum of agreement the important aspects on how Laos can host basketball like the venue and money in which Fiba Asia will help. But in the end, hindi pa rin nakasama ang basketball.? Ronnie Nathanielsz and Edwin Rollon