RAMIREZ CALLS FOR UNITY, HUMILITY
Now that the elections are over, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is calling for unity and humility in the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).
In a radio interview, PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez congratulated POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and the new set of POC officers for winning the elections last Friday at the East Ocean Palace Restaurant in Parañaque City. Tolentino, the cycling president, prevailed over archery chief Clint Aranas by wide margin, 30-22, in what was billed as one of the most dramatic elections in POC history due to the failure of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) to present the audited financial report. Tolentino is a ranking member of Phisgoc and a close political ally of its chairman, ousted Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.
On the other hand, Aranas, a noted corporate lawyer and former government official, is leading the POC’s demand for accountability and transparency by filing a civil case that would compel Phisgoc to present the finances of the 30th Southeast Asian ( SEA) Games as soon as possible. But Ramirez stressed that now that the elections are over, POC members should start the healing process and unite for the sake of Philippine sports.
“When you speak of unity, it’s a delicate word because you cannot have unity without humility,” said Ramirez, a long-time PSC chairman who never meddled in POC politics.
“If you really want unity, you have to reach out to the people who lost in the elections and work together.”
“Whether we are friends or not, we don’t favor anybody. We just work on our mandate, on our policies. Whoever assumes the position in the POC, we are ready to work with them.”
Ramirez reminded POC executives that the principles of Olympism are good governance, excellence, understanding and unity.
With that, he promised to support the national sports associations (NSA) provided that they would also do their parts by liquidating government money.
Phisgoc, for one, has yet to liquidate the P1.4-billion budget used in the country’s hosting of the SEA Games.
“I am informing the NSA who compose the POC that we are required by law not to give financial assistance to them and other institutions without first liquidating them,” Ramirez said.
“We always say it, but it wasn’t enforced because we have various tournaments like Olympics, Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games and, sometimes, we pity them.”
“But now, (our backs) are against the wall. We have government accounting rules and procedures plus COA.”