Seven Filipino teams took to the court at Star International School in Al Twar 2 for the recently held Point Zero Tambayan One Day Basketball League, a full-day tournament that marked the league’s first season.
Point Zero Tambayan, a Filipino production and community platform in the UAE, staged the event in collaboration with UBBL Ballers, headed by Joshua Angelo. Organizers had planned for at least six teams, but the field grew to seven as squads signed up to compete for an AED 10,000 cash prize.
Dahon Ballers finished on top at the end of the day, claiming the prize and becoming the league’s first-ever champions.
Milano Group Dubai and Oasis Milano Abu Dhabi came on board as major sponsors. Also backing the league were Gold Rush Jewelry, Emirates Optical, Toufan Tyre, GCash Overseas, GoToMoto by Lea’s Corner, Happy Grassland Shining Restaurant, Hot Bowl, Cloud Supply, Wasel Tours, Afford The Gold, La Tres, Lelaaa Jewelry, Sabor Negrense, and Lucky 88 – Live. Organizers credited the sponsors and community partners with turning the tournament into a day for kabayans to gather, connect, and support one another beyond the games themselves.
The league is the latest venture of a platform that began with a small team and no established production house or media network behind it. Point Zero Tambayan is registered in the UAE under MinMichael Co FZE LLC, Trade License No. 2624913029888.
It is led by chairwoman Minette Navalta and founder and director MC Michael Datu.
Navalta, a mechanical engineer by profession who also runs a business in the Philippines, had no background in social media when she joined. She learned the digital field on the job and now oversees the platform’s leadership, partnerships, business development, and community initiatives.
Datu began the production arm as a one-man operation, handling concept development, scriptwriting, directing, filming, editing, and production management himself with limited resources. He continues to steer the platform’s creative direction, overseeing its short films, social media content, business features, branded content, community programs, and major events, the basketball league included.
Enzo Cruz was among the first to back the project when it was just starting out. The platform now counts 45 content creators under its umbrella.
Point Zero Tambayan says its content across Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram has drawn millions of views. Its work has since grown to include film and content production, short-form storytelling, business and brand features, paid brand partnerships, event coverage, sports events, business collaborations, and Filipino community programs.
The group has also run outreach drives for Filipinos in difficult circumstances, particularly those who had lost their jobs and were struggling to meet daily needs. Through donations, partnerships, and community support, it delivered essential assistance to affected kabayans, an effort the organizers tie to the spirit of bayanihan.
The platform’s name refers to the starting line, the point before anything has been built. It operates under the motto “Focus. Discipline. Growth.” and the tagline “From zero. For the community.”
