Yap’s marching orders from Cory: Play for flag

James Yap has been given an all-important instruction he’s bound to follow.

According to Powerade-Team Pilipinas coach Yeng Guiao: “I’ve been informed that Tita Cory (former President Corazon Aquino) instructed (her son-in-law) James to keep on playing for the country."

Guiao of course, has been a known close family friend of the former Chief Executive, who's currently battling cancer. His late father, one-time Pampanga Governor Bren Guiao, was a close ally of Mrs. Aquino during her term, while Yeng himself had her as godmother during his wedding.

He said the 27-year-old Yap apparently got Mrs. Aquino’s order when he visited her at the Makati Medical Center last week shortly upon arriving from Chinese-Taipei, where the RP men’s team was seeing action in the 31st William Jones Cup basketball tournament.

Yap is husband of Aquino’s youngest child, popular movie and TV personality Kris, with whom he has a three-year old son.

Mrs. Aquino has been confined at the hospital for more than a month now due to colon cancer.

Next week, the Nationals are bound for Tianjin, China to compete in the FIBA-Asia tilt, the tournament that serves as qualifier for the World Basketball Championship next year in Turkey.

The FIBA Asia meet is set August 6-16, with Yap considered the best pure-shooter in the 12-man roster mostly composed of professional players.

Guiao believes Yap, a former PBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and star player of Purefoods, is bound to follow the wish of her ailing mother-in-law.

“Knowing James, I believe na gagawin niya yun," he said.

Yap didn’t suit up in the RP team’s last two games in the Jones Cup against Taiwan-B and Iran as he hurriedly returned to the country to personally see Mrs. Aquino.

“The coaching staff saw the need for him to go back. Kailangan siyang umuwi dahil mas priority naman talaga yun," said Guiao of his decision to allow Yap to come home ahead of the team.

Perhaps so as not to antagonize Yap when faced with the same situation come the FIBA-Asia meet, Mrs. Aquino deemed it wise to urge her son-in-law to give his service for the country first instead of minding her.

“Despite her condition, Ma’am still knows that this is a service James will have to do for the country," Guiao added.