Senate to review PSC law

THE planned amendments to Republic Act 6847, otherwise known as the ‘Philippine Sports Commission Act,’ being pushed by Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose `Peping’ Cojuangco, has gained ground in the Senate. Senator Gregorio Honasan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Games, Amusements and Sports, proposed that a group be formed to review RA 6847 in what he said would be the start of a series of inquiries to be held by his committee.

The Senator made the proposal following the three-hour public hearing held recently at the Senate building in Pasay City to look into the distractions that marred the country’s participation in the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos.

As early as three years ago, POC president Jose `Peping’ Cojuangco has been lobbying to amend RA 6847, stressing that the country’s Olympic governing body should have a hand at screening and recommending the men and women who will be appointed as PSC Chairman and Commissioners. Cojuangco has also been batting for a fixed term of six years for the said PSC appointees.

The House of Representative has been conducting a similar hearing on the matter since 2008.

“A working group will be formed to consolidate information that will lead to possible amendments of RA 6847,” said Honasan after the hearing.

But sufficient work on it cannot really be made until the 15th Congress as the Senate will adjourn its sessions next week and the official election campaign period is just around the corner.

Senator Pia Cayetano, a noted sports enthusiast, vowed to concentrate on the issue come the next congress.

“We’re able to isolate some issues in aid of legislation. It’s also a good sign that leaders are willing to sit down and discuss issues,” she said.

Cojuangco attended the hearing in the company of other POC officials, notably Secretary-General Steve Hontiveros, Deputy Secretary-General Mark Joseph, and athletics chief Go Teng Kok, among others.

PSC Chairman Harry Angping failed to make it, but was represented by Commissioners Eric Loretizo, Joey Mundo, Fr. Vic Uy, and legal head Paul Vega.

Romasanta asks NSAs to submit plans

THE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is urging National Sports Associations (NSAs) whose events are included in the Asian Games calendar to submit as soon as possible their plans for the meet, and if feasible, the composition of their respective teams as well.

Asiad Chef De Mission Joey Romasanta wants all the lists and documents to be presented at the earliest possible time since a special committee, which he himself heads, will still evaluate the papers.

Romasanta, who is also the POC spokesperson, was given a free hand to choose the members of the special committee tasked to oversee the preparations of Team Philippines, including the criteria to be used for selection in the national squad.

This year’s Asiad will be held in Guangzhou, China from November 12-27.

Within the week, Romasanta is planning to sit down with previous RP Chefs De Mission in an effort to obtain inputs on how to form a strong contingent to the biggest sports conclave in Asia.

Romasanta is eyeing an early training period for the Filipino delegation in a bid to surpass, if not equal, the four gold medals the country won during the last staging of the Asiad in Doha, Qatar four years ago.

Boxers Violito Payla and Joan Tipon led the Filipinos’ charge in Qatar along with billiards player Antonio Gabica and wushu’s Rene Catalan.

Numerous overseas stints for RP-Smart Gilas team

PROOF that it is dead serious in its coming campaign in the Asian Games, the RP-Smart Gilas team has scheduled numerous overseas stints leading up to its gold medal bid in the November 12-27 meet in Guangzhou, China.

Among the major tournaments where the Nationals will be seeing action include the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup in Doha, Qatar in May, the annual Jones Cup in Taipei and the Stankovic Cup in Lebanon by August.

Then there are a series of games the team will play against ball clubs from the National Basketball League in Australia, a couple of exhibition series against the Canadian national team in Las Vegas and Vancouver, a showdown with select NCAA teams in the U.S and a possible invitational team in Manila featuring the RP-Smart Gilas’ counterparts from Iran, New Zealand and either Korea or Japan.

Tune-up games are also going to be played in Belgrade, Serbia, where the nationals set up camp last year and played against local ball clubs.

“This is definitely a hectic year for the Smart-Gilas team,” announced Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Executive Director Noli Eala. “In all we expect to play around 80 international games.”

“All of these trips are fantastic exposures for our national team.”

The RP-Smart Gilas team is coming off a third place finish in the tough 21st Dubai International Basketball Tournament, where it faced four of the top eight teams in Asia, including Lebanon, Jordan, Iran and Syria.

The Nationals almost made it to the championship match, but lost to Al Riyadi of Lebanon in the semifinals, 76-79, after they failed to protect a nine-point lead in the final four minutes of the game.

“Despite falling short in the end (of the Dubai tournament), the result was very fulfilling because we were able to prove that we can compete with the best in Asia,” stressed RP team captain Chris Tiu.

RP to host Southeast Asian Table Tennis meet

THE Philippines has been named host of this year’s 7th Southeast Asian Table Tennis Association Championships.

Events at stake in the August 4-8 meet include men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, men’s and women’s team and mixed doubles.

Some 240 players, coaches and officials are expected to participate in the event, the venue of which will be announced later.

Southeast Asian Tables Tennis Association (SEATTA) Secretary-General Chan Foong Keong commissioned Table Tennis Association of the Philippines (TATAP) Chairman Alvin Carranza and his Board of Directors to be in charge of the hosting.

The meet, which started in 1998, features countries within the Southeast Asian region, including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Myanmar, Timor Leste and the Philippines.

The event will be under the supervision of the International Table Tennis Federation, and TATAP, the latter of which is headed by Police Senior Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag.