The DAILY TRIBUNE bench just got deeper with the addition of one of the country’s foremost digital legal minds and sports advocates, Atty. Roy Ibay, as its latest columnist.

Ibay brings a wealth of expertise from a corporate career that spans over two decades. Right now, he serves as vice president and head of Regulatory Affairs of Smart Communications, the country’s leading telecommunications company.

His exceptional contributions were recently recognized on the national stage when he was named "ICT Lawyer of the Year" at the EdTek Excellence Awards in 2025. He also writes songs and music for cinema, having contributed to past Cinemalaya festivals as well as this year’s upcoming edition.

Yet, beyond the corporate boardrooms, Ibay has quietly emerged as a powerful voice in reshaping the modern Philippine sports landscape. Driven by a passion for grassroots development and youth empowerment, he has been the driving force behind some of the country’s most vibrant new sports initiatives.

A vision to institutionalize emerging sports led him to establish the Pickleball Intercollegiate League Pilipinas, introducing the fast-growing sport to the collegiate ranks. His deep involvement in the game has also seen him step up as the current legal counsel and interim board officer of the Philippine Pickleball Federation.

Furthermore, Ibay spearheaded the post-pandemic revival of the Philippine Intercollegiate Golf, restoring vital competitive pathways for student-athletes. Recognizing the massive cultural shift toward digital sports, he has also been a cornerstone of the burgeoning gaming community as a key founding pillar behind the Philippine Esports Awards.

In his upcoming fortnightly column “Shots from the bunker,” Ibay will blend his sharp legal acumen with his unique perspective on digital culture and sports development. He will strip away the dense legalese and technical jargon to offer views on e-governance, sports regulation, digital infrastructure, sideline insights and the frameworks shaping our daily lives.