END OR EXTEND? Tolentino, Loyzaga clash as POC elects new leaders

The leadership and the direction that the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) would take in the next four years will be determined when it holds its election of officers today at the East Ocean Palace Restaurant in Pasay City.

Incumbent POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino of cycling will be gunning for a fresh four-year term in a bid to sustain the momentum that the country gained during its very successful participation in the past two editions of the Summer Games.

But the leadership is not yet in the bag as he is being challenged by POC auditor Joaquin “Chito” Loyzaga of baseball armed with a battle cry of letting athletes run the affairs of the local Olympic movement.

While the 60-year-old Tolentino is a seasoned public servant with his family deeply entrenched in the political landscape of Tagaytay City, the 66-year-old Loyzaga is a former athlete who brought pride and glory to the country during the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing.

Running with Tolentino is his “Working Team” led by Alfredo Panlilio of basketball for first vice president, Cong. Richard Gomez of modern pentathlon for second vice president, Dr. Jose Raul Canlas of surfing for treasurer, and Donaldo Caringal of volleyball for auditor.

Shooting for spots in the POC executive board under the “Working Team” are Alvin Aguilar of wrestling, Ferdinand Agustin of jiu-jitsu, Leonora Escollante of canoe-kayak, Leah Gonzales of fencing, and Alexander Sulit of judo.

Meanwhile, seeking vital POC posts with Loyzaga are Robert Bachmann of squash for second vice president, Rodrigo Roque of weightlifting for auditor and Peter Miguel of archery, Charlie Ho of netball, Steven Virata of equestrian and Myrna Yao of gymnastics for members of the executive board.

For the first time ever, the local Olympic council will no longer elect a chairman in accordance with its new set of by-laws that was instituted only this year.

Atty. Teodoro Kalaw IV will head the election panel for the fourth consecutive time with Philippine Sport Commission commissioner Olivia “Bong” Coo and Letran College Calamba Rector Fr. Napoleon Encarnacion as members.

A total of 58 national sports associations will be represented by either their presidents, vice presidents or secretary generals who will be casting their votes to select the new set of POC officers. Also enjoying voting privileges will be the Athletes Commission, which will be represented by Olympians Ernest John Obiena of athletics and Nesthy Petecio of boxing.

International Olympic Committee representative Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski also has the right to vote, which she had already exercised late Tuesday before the presence of Kalaw and POC secretariat member Jean Wico.

Kalaw said the electoral process will start with the registration of voters from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. before the casting of votes from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. The voters will be called in alphabetically and they will cast their ballot in a special booth before dropping it in a transparent box to maintain the secrecy and transparency of the electoral process.

“At the conclusion of the voting period, which can take about 40 to 50 minutes, we will open the ballots and go through these one by one,” Kalaw said.

“Then, we will count it manually using two tally boards. The voters can watch as we tally the votes on both boards and make sure that they are in sync.”

“When I take out the ballot, I will read the names of the candidates they voted for and I will show it to commission Bong and Fr. Nap, so that both the government and the church will get to witness my declaration.”

He said they are looking forward to holding a fair, transparent, safe and drama-free electoral process.

“We have to make sure that the entire process will be transparent and fair,” he said.

“The three elections that I presided were straightforward, fair, transparent, no one can say that they were cheated in any way.”

Those who will be elected will start their term of office on 1 January.