RAIN OR SHINE'S MANTRA: 'BUWIS-BUHAY BASKETBALL OVER ELASTO-POGI'

PHOTO: PBA Images

NEVER-Say-Die. Ang Bumangga, Giba. Fear The Beer. We Not Me.

And now add ‘Buwis Buhay’ to those memorable team mantras in the PBA.

With the Philippine Cup playoffs fast approaching, Rain or Shine has again begun to display the very same attributes hat best defined the franchise.

Coach Yeng Guiao stressed Buwis Buhay perfectly describes the way the Elasto Painters play once they're on the court.

"Very appropriate ito para sa amin," he said. "Parang angkop siya. Terno naman siya dun sa ano namin (style). Bagay naman.

READ: Rain or Shine seizes solo lead after beating Converge in thriller

And while Elasto Pogi sounds nice and glamorous, the Rain or Shine coach said it all boiled down as to what best exemplifies the 18-year-old franchise co-owned by basketball die-hards Raymund Yu and Terry Que.

"Pinili namin ito yung ‘Buwis Buhay’ o kaya yung ‘Elasto Pogi,’" said Guiao with that familiar grin on his face.

"Pero ok na ito huwag na yung Elasto Pogi. ‘Buwis Buhay’ na lang. Ito yung nanalo."

Of course, 'Never-Say-Die' will always be synonymous to Barangay Ginebra, and 'Ang Bumangga, Giba' had once been labeled with Guiao’s former team Red Bull.

San Miguel prides itself for its Fear The Bear motto, while the defunct Alaska franchise will always carry the We Not Me adage.

So far, Rain or Shine has lived up to its own mantra especially in its last two games, both against teams that are vying for a Top 4 finish and a twice to beat advantage in the Philippine Cup playoffs.

The Elasto Painters rallied back from the depth of an 18-point deficit to nip TNT in Cagayan de Oro City, 91-89, prior to the FIBA window.

And then they followed it up with a rousing 90-84 win over Converge last Sunday in a game where they came back from an early 14-point deficit.

Those big wins catapulted the team in solo top spot at 7-2 with the eliminations down to its final two weeks.

Rain or Shine’s final two games will be in Bahrain against two other contenders in Magnolia and Barangay Ginebra.

And Guiao, who proudly wore a shirt in the past along with the rest of the team with the words ‘Buwis-Buhay’ printed on it, expects the same approach from the Elasto Painters as they bid to finish the eliminations on a high.  

"Yun lang ang kaya namin Buwis Buhay lang. Manalo or matalo," he said of what he referred as ‘Buwis-Buhay’ basketball.

"Manalo or matalo ibigay mo lang yung kaya mo, i-todo mo. That is what we can guarantee. The win will come on its own."

Guiao said the team will wear those shirts again on select games come the playoffs. 

2025-12-09T10:15:07Z