A FEW days after the PBA All-Star Weekend in Puerto Princesa, Jose Bayani “JB” Baylon of event host Nickel Asia Corp. received an e-mail from Rey Canilao of Global Executive Solutions, the headhunter hired by the PBA to search for a new commissioner.
A former PBA governor and team manager of the Coca-Cola franchise (which is now owned by Globalport), Baylon is one of the candidates being considered by the league for the position that will be left vacant by Chito Salud after this season. Salud will be promoted to the newly created post of chief executive officer, soon to be the highest office in the PBA structure.
Although he may have entertained thoughts of getting the commissioner’s post after Salud’s resignation, Baylon is now hesitant to schedule an interview with the headhunter. The new job description is no longer attractive.
“I have not accepted the invite,” Baylon said. “I believe that under the new setup, where the commissioner position is more focused on games and operations, there are more qualified individuals such as Rickie Santos and Atty. Ariel Magno.”
Santos is currently PBA operations head while Magno was the former Sta. Lucia alternate governor to Buddy Encarnado. (Sta. Lucia sold its league franchise to Meralco about five years ago.) Both were also invited to an interview by Canilao, along with more than 20 others.
As PBA chair Pato Gregorio announced during the Palawan board meeting, all the nominees for commissioner will be invited to an interview by the headhunter.
PBA media bureau chief Willie Marcial, who was also nominated to the post but declined interest in it, confirmed that there are more than 20 candidates in the headhunter’s list. He declined to name them, though.
“After the interviews and the subsequent evaluation, a short list of five candidates will be submitted to the search committee composed of governors Atty. Mert Mondragon of Rain or Shine, Rene Pardo of Purefoods Star and chair Gregorio, who will further trim the short list to three,” Marcial said.
“The final three will then be interviewed individually by a panel composed of Salud and the board of governors.”
I got the names of several candidates who declined the interview, obviously for the same reason why Baylon is now having second thoughts.
“With the new job description, I lost all interest in the job,” said one candidate who would have been a cinch for the final list of three.
The others who have turned down the interview are former TV5 executive Bobby Barreiro, Meralco alternate governor Ryan Gregorio, former PBA technical head Perry Martinez and Narvasa brothers Ogie and Chito, who was seriously considered for the same post two tenures ago.
PBA legend Robert Jaworski, former sports commissioner Chito Loyzaga, former Baguio Mayor Rey Bautista, PSC commissioner Jolly Gomez, Dr. Jay Adalem of Naascu’s St. Clare School, are only some of those in the long list of interviewees.
Meantime, Baylon is still deliberating on whether or not to go through with the interview. Actually, he does not need the PBA job. He just wants to be in the PBA. The headhunter urged him to come for the interview, regardless of his final decision.