MANILA, Philippines—The BAP-Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Inc. will concentrate on the development of a comprehensive basketball program in pursuit of its goal to return to the Olympics in 2012 in London.

“It’s a long-term process,” said BAP-SBP president Manuel V. Pangilinan in an ambush interview during the launch of his Ateneo de Manila University team in the UAAP which he attended recently as a longtime supporter of the Eagles.

“We’re designing all of the programs to ensure we can qualify in 2012,” added Pangilinan who recently earned a fresh four-year term.

Aside from the formation of national teams, Pangilinan said the BAP-SBP will also focus on the implementation of programs for technical officials.

“For this year, the concentration is on the referees,” he noted. “It’s not just their accreditation, but the leveling. We have to make sure they have the proper training, proper skills and they know the standard way of refereeing. We’ll also continue with the coaches’ accreditation. All their skills reflect Philippine basketball.”

Pangilinan, who had a preliminary discussion with new executive director Noli Eala last Friday, also identified the priority tournaments for the national men, women and youth teams.

“He has a good template,” Pangilinan said of Eala’s proposed calendar. “We’re looking at the FIBA-sanctioned tournaments. There’s a process starting in the qualifying tournaments in 2009. So that means we should organize the younger players.”