Vargas eyes ‘controversial’ changes to POC charter, including age limit for officials

Major changes are bound to happen in the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

POC president Ricky Vargas said he would endorse critical amendments in the POC constitution and bylaws that zero in on the age limit of elected officials.

Vargas also proposed that every national sport association (NSA) should have an exclusive set of officers who will be prohibited from functioning as an officer in another sports association.

“Some of the things that I like to change are controversial. On age limit, we will start at the POC and encourage the NSAs to do the same in their bylaws,” Vargas said.

The proposed age limit on POC officials was initially brought up by POC first vice president Joey Romasanta roughly two years ago.

Back then, a three-man committee, which Romasanta headed, pushed to limit the age of POC officials to 65 years old.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has its own rule on age limit. An IOC member ceases to be a member at the end of the calendar year during which they reach the age of 70 or 80.

“Initially, that’s what we want to do, follow the IOC bylaws,” said Vargas.

The recommendation will be forwarded to former POC president Peping Cojuangco, the chair of the POC committee on constitutional revisions and amendments. Lawyer Alberto Agra is a member of the committee.

Meanwhile, POC deputy secretary general Karen Caballero was appointed chef de mission of the country to the 2019 Children of Asia Games on Feb. 8 to 17 in Sakhalin, Russia.

Taekwondo’s Stephen Fernandez and netball’s Charlie Ho were named as deputies to Southeast Asian Games chef de mission Monsour del Rosario.