Mau Belen

A former high school varsity player,^[3] Belen shifted to coaching having limited options to continue her playing career as a woman. She joined coach Eric Altamirano's basketball school to hone her skills before heading to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates where she stayed for four years and worked as a youth coach for the local Filipino community there.^[4]

Belen returned to the Philippines in 2017, coaching at least three teams.^[4] This include the Philippine National Police women's team in 2019.^[5] Her other previous employers were Assumption College and St. Paul College of Parañaque.^[4]

In March 2021, Belen became the first female coach in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) when she was made assistant coach of the Chot Reyes-led staff of TNT Tropang Giga.^[5] However, the inclusion of female staff member is not new in the history of the franchise with Debbie Tan as team manager when the team was still known as Mobiline.^[1]

She would also become head coach of TNT's team in the PBA 3x3.^[6] TNT would win the third conference of the 2021 season under her mentorship.^[7] The team, later rebranded as the TNT Triple Giga, would continue its winning streak by winning all three conferences in the 2022–23 season – the first ever grand slam in the 3x3 league's history.^[7][8][9] The team would be disbanded after the PBA 3x3's dissolution after the 2023–24 season.^[10]

Belen would be the head coach of the Philippines men's national 3x3 team which took part in the 2024 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup.^[11]

Belen organized sports events in Dubai.^[6] She was also part of the organizing team of the basketball tournament of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines.^[5]

Belen also served as tournament director of National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) which organizes tournaments for girls.^[12]

Belen identifies as a lesbian and presents herself as masculine.^[3]