Terrafirma Dyip Basketball Team Perfect 10 Defeats: What a Shame!

Vic Manuel of Terrafirma Dyip, Photo by PBA

Basketball remains the number one sport in the Philippines, and the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has long been the premier professional league in the country. However, with the myriad of issues and controversies surrounding the league, its dominance may be nearing its end. As a long-time PBA supporter and previously an accredited media member, my criticisms stem from genuine concern. Today, I’ll focus on one glaring issue: the Terrafirma Dyip franchise, whose struggles epitomize why the league might be faltering.

A History of Heartbreak and Neglect

It pains me to see Terrafirma Dyip, undisputedly the PBA’s perennial loser for nearly a decade, continue to flounder. What’s even more disheartening is the perception that the team lacks any genuine interest in winning. Year after year, their management seems to neglect the needs of the team, leaving fans frustrated and questioning their commitment.

Why does this team struggle so much? How did they get here?

The franchise’s origins trace back to the Columbian Autocar Corporation. In 2020, it was transferred to Terra Firma Realty Development Corporation and rebranded as Terrafirma Dyip. The name “Terrafirma,” meaning solid ground, should symbolize stability, but in the PBA, it’s now synonymous with mediocrity and failure. The team’s history is plagued by unconventional decisions, questionable trades, and a revolving door of players and coaches.

To their credit, they made the playoffs for only the second time in the 2024 Philippine Cup. But even this glimmer of hope feels like an anomaly rather than a turning point.

The Culture of Losing

In boxing, being undefeated is everything; one loss can derail a career. In the PBA, especially for Terrafirma, losing has become a culture. It’s as if they’ve embraced failure, with no concrete plans to reverse the trend. Any casual basketball fan could point out simple steps to turn things around, yet the team seems deaf to these calls.

The most obvious issue? Stop trading young stars. Terrafirma has developed a reputation as a “farm team,” allegedly supplying talent to more successful franchises. It’s an open secret among fans, and no amount of spin from allied media can change public perception. The trades are often so lopsided that they’re likened to daylight robbery—or perhaps, a willing sacrifice.

Time for a Better “Farm Manager”

If Terrafirma is indeed a farm team, they need a better “farm manager.” The current strategy—if you can call it that—is doing irreparable damage to their brand and the league’s integrity. The transactions they’ve made are well-documented and frequently trend online, not for their brilliance but for how blatantly one-sided they appear.

Some might ask why I’m singling out Terrafirma when other teams also face similar accusations. The answer is simple: Terrafirma has consistently been the worst-performing team in the modern PBA era. Their lack of competitiveness drags down the league as a whole.

A Call for Respectability

If Terrafirma’s management is reading this, I’d urge them to at least strive for respectability. If you’re using the team as a breeding ground for players, fine—but don’t let it be a joke. Protect your brand. Fans deserve better than this endless cycle of failure.

Here’s a suggestion: invest in better coaching. The PBA has plenty of championship-caliber coaches from “mother teams.” Test their mettle by assigning them to a team like Terrafirma. If the players can’t compete with the best, at least give them a fighting chance with top-tier leadership.

Green Should Mean Go

“Green” should symbolize progress and growth. Instead, for Terrafirma, it’s become moss: stagnant and lifeless. As a fan of the Boston Celtics and De La Salle Green Archers, I’ve seen how “green” can represent excellence. Why can’t Terrafirma aspire to the same?

To add a little humor: let’s not let go of Isaac Go! See what I did there? Comic relief aside, the point remains—fans love basketball and the PBA. The more we criticize, the more it shows we care.

Recently acquired Terrence Romeo of the Terrafirma Dyip, Photo by the PBA

Final Thoughts

I wrote this article not out of malice, but out of love for the PBA and the sport of basketball. My hope is that Terrafirma’s management, and perhaps even the league’s leadership, will take these criticisms to heart. The PBA has been a part of our lives for decades; we grew up with it. To see it falter because of mismanagement and indifference is heartbreaking.

Let’s not lose hope. Let’s keep pushing for the league and its teams to improve. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: for the PBA to thrive.