By Rey Joble

FROM now on, call Air21 as Burger King.

The Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner?s Office yesterday approved to change Air21?s name to Burger King after the Lina Group submitted the necessary lacking documents to prove that they are the majority owner of the food company.

PBA chairman Joaqui Trillo of Alaska confirmed the news through a text message to Standard Today that the board approved the transfer of Air21?s existing franchise to Burger King.

?Air21 complied with all the documents requested by the Commissioner?s Office. They are now cleared and may use the name Burger King if they wished to do so,? said Trillo.

Air21 president and team manager Lito Alvarez said on the eve of the special PBA board meeting that they submitted two remaining documents yesterday, which were enough to earn the approval of the majority during the presentation.

?Even before, I have high hopes that our decision to change our name from Air21 to Burger King would be granted not only by the Commissioner?s Office, but also the board,? said Alvarez. ?Now, we have complied with the necessary documents and we?re excited to carry our new name in the Reinforced Conference.?

?We have given exposure to FedEx before, then Air21. Now, it?s time for Burger King to gain more exposure using the PBA as a vehicle,? he added.

Burger King is a personal investment jointly owned by Bert Lina, Alvarez, Manuel V. Pangilinan and Ricky Vargas of Talk N Text, Wilson Young of Tanduay and Mikee Romero, who is expected to assist Alvarez to the PBA board.