WHO will be the next chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission?
With chairman William “Butch” Ramirez set to step down as the head of the government sports agency on June 30, some names have cropped up as his possible successor.
Among those bruited to be eyeing the PSC top post are former PBA commissioner Noli Eala and outgoing Games and Amusements Board chairman Baham Mitra.
Also being mentioned are sepak takraw chief Karen Tanchanco Caballero, kick boxing secretary general Wharton Chan and squash head Robert Bachmann, whose late father, basketball standout and businessman Kurt Bachmann, was close to the Romualdezes.
Ramirez, 72, has made it publicly known that he is no longer interested in heading the PSC anew after his highly-successful term at the job, although he is willing to be an adviser for the incoming chairman.
Whoever is appointed as PSC chairman will have a hard act to follow, considering the achievements of the government sports agency under Ramirez’s watch.
Fueled by the huge remittances of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to the PSC before the pandemic, Filipino athletes blossomed and made their mark in international play under Ramirez.
The country had its most successful outing in the Olympic Games, starting with the silver medal won in the 2016 Rio Olympiad by weightlifter Hidylin Diaz, who surpassed herself with a breakthrough gold medal in the Tokyo Games last year.
The Filipinos also had two silver medals from boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam plus a bronze from boxer Felix Marcial.
The Filipinos also had one of their most productive moments in the 2018 Asian Games, underscoring “women’s power” with four gold medals courtesy of Diaz, the women’s golf squad composed of Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan and Louise Kaye Go who swept the team and individual events, and irrepressible skateboarder Margielyn Arda Didal.
Filipino bets recaptured the overall crown in the 30th SEA Games in the country with a glittering haul of 149 gold, 117 silver 121 bronze medals.
Diaz, Didal, gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo and pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena were among the athletes who flourished and excelled in international play in their respective disciplines due to the PSC’s all-out support during Ramirez’s administration.
