MANILA, Philippines -- The Premier Volleyball League on Friday officially turned professional, a move welcomed as "timely" by team owners and players hoping for the league to resume in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PVL, which previously identified as a "semi-professional" league, was greatly impacted by the global health crisis as they were unable to hold a single tournament in 2020. Organizers are now hoping that they can hold a new season by February or March 2021.

Per the terms of the joint administrative order signed by the Games and Amusements Board, the Department of Health, and the Philippine Sports Commission, only professional leagues -- such as the PBA, the Philippines Football League, and now, the PVL -- can hold competitions.

"This will have to be with the help of GAB," said Ricky Palou of Sports Vision, the entity that organizes the PVL. "We'll need to get the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) approval for us to resume our practices and our games."

"I believe that (GAB) Chairman (Baham) Mitra is willing to help on this," he added.

• READ: PVL is latest league to turn professional
• READ: PVL eyes return to action in 2021

Mitra assured the PVL organizers, team owners, and players that they are ready to lend a helping hand to the league, and not just in terms of getting the necessary permits from the government so they can finally resume competition.

The GAB was instrumental in helping the PBA, the PFL, and Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 resume their tournaments this year even with quarantine restrictions. Both the PFL and Chooks 3x3 have already completed their competitions in strict "bubble" set-ups. The PBA, meanwhile, is in the midst of the playoffs of the 2020 Philippine Cup in Clark, Pampanga.

"You have a partner walking the path with you if you need anything from the government," Mitra said. "We will try to assist you in our own way."

"Dati, they are existing without any government agency working with them," he also said. "They were not under the PSC, and they were also not under GAB. Now, we have already accepted them, masaya po kami na kasama namin sila sa pamilya."

"Our mandate is to look after the welfare of our stakeholders, so we will be there," Mitra stressed.

The players and team owners welcomed the development, with Charo Soriano of BanKo Perlas calling it "very timely."

"Professionalizing can only help us be better together," she said. "This connotes that players can actually choose volleyball as a primary career, and ever since, that has been the ultimate goal for us."

"Right now, we can already provide the opportunity for players to choose volleyball as their career," she added.

Creamline star Alyssa Valdez said it was "another milestone" for Philippine volleyball that can only help the ever-growing sport reach a different level.

"Sabi nga ni Sir Ricky and Ate Cha (Soriano), may ilu-look forward na ang bawat volleyball player. May bagong motivation na tayo," added the "Phenom."

With the PVL now the latest league to turn professional, the Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) and the Spikers' Turf are set to follow suit in the near future.

Soriano, who organizes BVR, confirmed that they are also taking steps towards professionalizing the league although she acknowledged that they have yet to reach the same traction as indoor volleyball.

"But we are considering the steps towards professionalizing, and we have spoken with Sir Baham as to how these steps can help the young sport of beach volleyball," she explained.

Tony Boy Liao of Sports Vision also confirmed that Spikers' Turf will apply for professionalization in the coming months.

"We plan to talk to the teams also, and recommend to them the idea of turning professional," said Palou.