PBA chair Chito Salud stepping down after current season

PBA Commissioner Chito Salud. PBA IMAGE/NUKI SABIO

Chito Salud, under whose watch the PBA field bloated to an all-time high 12 teams, will be stepping down at the end of the season.

That would make for a total of five seasons at the helm for Salud, whose father, the late Rodrigo, also served five years from 1988, a span which is described by many as the golden years of the PBA.

No reason was given why Salud is stepping down, although he will have a press conference Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Salud had called his staff Friday to break the news, telling his people that he had come to the end of the duration he had initially thought of when he assumed control in 2010.

A source said that Salud had already talked to several team owners of his decision, including Ramon S. Ang of the San Miguel Corp. group and Manny V. Pangilinan of the PLDT group.

Salud came in as the eighth commissioner of Asia’s pioneering pro league.

His first act was to bring the league back to the three-conference format that had the All-Filipino and two import-flavored tournaments.

Also under his reins, the league accepted Meralco in 2010, Globalport in 2012 and NLEX, Blackwater and KIA Motors this season.

No names as his possible replacement has been floated at press time.