Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Francis Ochoa elected PSA president

Francis Ochoa (photo above) leads the PSA until 2027. —PHOTO FROM @FRANCISTJOCHOA INSTAGRAM

Philippine Daily Inquirer sports editor Francis T. J. Ochoa has been elected the new president of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA), the country’s oldest media organization, for the next two years after elections held recently.

Active on the journalism lecture circuit with his views on keeping up with digital times, Ochoa takes over from Philippine Star sports editor Nelson Beltran, whose two-year term saw the PSA soar to newer heights.

Jasmine W. Payo, the Rappler sports editor, was named vice president while Manila Bulletin sports editor Ramon Bonilla was appointed secretary general.

The other officers, who will serve a two-year term are Spin.PH’s Gerry Ramos (treasurer), Abante Tonite’s Ramil Cruz (auditor) and Manila Times’ Emil Noguera (assistant secretary).

Beltran will assume the post of chairman of the board, which will include editors Dodo Catacutan (Spin.PH), Rey Lachica (Tempo), Jun Lomibao (Business Mirror), Riera Mallari (Manila Standard), Jimmy Cantor (Malaya), Celest Flores-Colina (Inquirer.net), Dino Maragay (PhilStar.com), Julius Manicad (Daily Tribune), Ed Andaya (People’s Tonight), Ferds delos Santos (Abante) and Beth Repizo (Pilipino Star Ngayon) and assistant sports editors Musong R. Castillo (Philippine Daily Inquirer) and Abac Cordero (Philippine Star).

Ochoa, born in Cagayan de Oro but also tracing his roots to Cebu, has been sports editor of the Inquirer for nearly a decade.

Among his plans is to fully implement the PSA Charter drafted and approved during the Beltran administration and further enhance the PSA’s public relevance.

The new officers and board will be inducted on Tuesday after the weekly PSA Forum.