NSAs catch election fever

TO ERASE the perception that they are desperately clinging to power, a number of national sports association (NSA) leaders are calling for elections this month.

“Compliance is the catchword,” says Philippine Olympic Committee first vice president and spokesperson Joey Romasanta.

NSAs are compelled to hold elections in line with the POC’s General Assembly Resolution 2007-001. The decree mandates orderly polls within one, two or four years as prescribed by the NSAs’ respective constitutions.

The goal is for NSAs “to comply with International Olympic Committee guidelines for good governance of Olympic parties,” says aquatics president Mark Joseph, who claims he has monitored 35 or so NSA elections to date.

Performing NSAs afflicted by election fever and have scheduled their own voting after Monday’s midterm national elections include athletics (May 20), amateur boxing (tentatively May 24), archery (May 27), fencing (July 7), and billiards (December).

High-profile amateur boxing head Ricky Vargas, a top business lieutenant of telecommunications tycoon and sports godfather Manny V. Pangilinan, has been in a holdover capacity for close to seven months.

The controversial Go Teng Kok, who said he will leave as athletics chief for good, has clung on more to straws than to sovereignty for almost five months.

The billiards confederation under Arturo Ilagan Jr., archery network under Dr. Lenora Fe Brawner and fencing under Victor Africa are on target for elections this year.

Ironically, badminton, with Pangilinan as chair and PH’s No. 2 official, Vice President Jejomar Binay as president, has yet to schedule elections since holding its last in 2011.

Based on information furnished by a POC source, NSAs also overdue for elections are tennis under Parañaque Rep. Edwin Olivarez, handball under concurrent POC secretary general Steve Hontiveros, muay thai under retired Gen. Lucas Managuelod, and a slew of associate and recognized NSAs under the POC banner.

“Polls are a determinant of an NSA head’s capacity to lead or do better,” says Romasanta, the new POC membership committee chair. “They also attract new aspirants to bring forth new ideas on the table.”

Timely and orderly NSA elections, according to Romasanta, are part of general housekeeping chores “to give everybody a sense that order prevails” in the POC, which is under former Tarlac Rep.  Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr., P-Noy’s uncle.

Although unable to make all NSAs hold timely elections, POC GAR 2007-001 served as model for the IOC’s own election diktat for all Olympic bodies, says Joseph.

“The election theme was taken up about the same time by both IOC and POC without knowing that each was doing it,” Joseph reported by text. “Like minds think alike sort of thing? Or just common sense maybe.”

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(Balikbayans usually come home for a quick visit. Not Monino Veridiano, a retired Philippine Marines colonel. Veridiano left a thriving real estate and insurance business in Sacramento, California, to return for good—to Santo Niño, Cagayan. Monino loves his roots so much he is running in Monday’s elections as the Liberal Party candidate for mayor of his remote hometown. To Col. Veridiano and his rivals, the best of luck. Good wishes also to Dr. Florida Esteban and her mayoralty opponents in my hometown, Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija.)