Changes in PH sports

Last week, two news items caught our attention.

The first was about a bill establishing the Philippine Boxing Commission (PBC) authored by Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

The second was about the proposed amendments to the POC charter.

If Pacquiao’s Senate Bill No. 191 is signed into law, the PBC will have full jurisdiction over professional boxers in the country, leaving the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) to oversee other professional sports like volleyball, mixed martial arts, basketball, baseball and horse racing.

The plan is to stock the agency with an initial budget of P150 million. A monthly pension for former Filipino world champions is also included in the proposed bill.

Meanwhile, a three-man committee has already been formed to make amendments to the POC charter.

The committee is headed by POC legal counsel Ramon Malinao, who is expected to zero in on the rules for those who want to run for president and chair.

The rules caused some disagreements in the last POC elections—where Jose “Peping” Cojuangco won a fourth term as president when he ran unopposed.

Abap president Ricky Vargas challenged Cojuangco but was disqualified for not attending the general assembly, a requirement for those seeking the POC presidency.

To clarify the issue of eligibility, Vargas went to court and filed a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to stop the elections. The TRO was denied and the elections pushed through in November last year.

There are reports that the committee will also make amendments on term limits and age requirements for candidates.

Cojuangco is reportedly amenable to the proposed amendments and agreeable to the age requirement but not on the term limits.

Cojuangco is now 82 years old.