Vargas opens bowling tilt, seeks peace within POC

In a brief moment away from controversy, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Ricky Vargas urged national bowlers to come up with a triumphant campaign in the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games that the country is hosting.

“Bowling was the No. 1 sport that brought glory to this country. Let’s bring the sport back to the rostrum,” Vargas said during the opening ceremony of the third Philippine International Bowling Open on Saturday at Coronado Lanes in StarMall Edsa.

“This will be our shining glory. Let’s fight and win the gold medals when we compete against the best of Southeast Asia,” Vargas told the members of the national team, who will try to corner nine of the golds at stake in the country’s hosting of the biennial meet.

But Vargas is also preoccupied with a meeting two weeks from now, when the POC executive board convenes to sort out issues that threatened to disrupt the country’s preparations for hosting of the SEA Games.

The assembly has been penciled for June 13, and Vargas’ first item on the agenda is to reconcile with a group he accused of trying to destabilize his administration.

“I hope they come during the meeting. Let’s heal the wounds,” Vargas said, referring to the group of Joey Romasanta, the former chief of mission for the Philippine delegation to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

There’s a lot to be sorted in the meeting, including the role of Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski as the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) representative to the Philippines. Sources supplied the Inquirer with copies of a POC letter to the IOC seeking clarification on the former top equestrienne’s role in such capacity.

Organized by the Philippine Bowling Federation (PBF) as a test event for the SEA Games, the Philippine International Bowling Open will showcase the national team aspirants backed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and the over 400 bowlers who signed up, including 100 foreign players from nine countries.

PBF secretary general Bong Coo said the performances of the players here will be evaluated as well as in succeeding tournaments in Singapore (June 16 to 30) and Hong Kong (July 15 to 20) to determine the final composition of the team to the SEA Games.