The many uses of a basketball court

Swiss Army facility: Village health workers holding a vaccination drive for children at an indoor basketball court in Manila. — AFP

Manila: Indoor courts are central to life in tens of thousands of towns and cities across basketball-mad Philippines, hosting everything from funerals and beauty pageants to “circumcision season”.

These so-called “covered courts” are essential in remote or poor communities, where they are often one of just a few public buildings.