WHO WILL BE THE NEXT POC PRESIDENT PART 2 ?

In yet another strange turn of events, Romasanta and majority of the POC board resigned yesterday. Romasanta, Camacho, Jonne Go, Cynthia Carrion, Clint Aranas and Peping Cojuangco resigned to pave the way for a general election. A general election is set on July 5 to fill up the vacant position in POC.

With the general election set, there is hope for a better POC in the days ahead. For the longest time, POC has been the home of too much politics to the point that it has affected the athletes and NSA's negatively. The person who will become the next POC president will undoubtedly set the direction of POC. Thus, the position of POC president is most crucial.

PVF Managing Director Dr. Otie Camangian enumerates the qualities he looks for in the next POC president. He says that the next POC president must have unquestionable integrity and is a good family man. The NSA of the next POC president must have support from government and private sectors that are vital in sustaining various projects and undertakings. Lastly, he or she must also have a five year program that will greatly improve mass and elite sports.

This early, several personalities appear to be front-runners for the POC presidency. Gen. Lucas Managuelod appears to be a solid candidate His muay thai federation continue to produce world champions. Bambol Tolentino was instrumental in the sudden call for new leaders in POC. He can figure prominently in the race as well.

Of course, the Peping bloc can field in its own presidential candidate.But after recent events, it will be hard for the candidates of Peping to pick up the pieces and make one final go for the POC leadership. People have simply had enough of Cojuangco and his allies.The time really has come for new leadership in POC.

TIME TO REMOVE THE "MAJORITY OF THE BOARD" IN POC

courtesy of interaksyon.com

The unexpected resignation of Ricky Vargas as POC president underscores the hopelessness that Vargas felt as he tried to effect significant changes in POC. The "majority of the board" were more interested in protecting their selfish interests prompting Vargas to simply give up and walk away.

courtesy of tempo.com.ph

As the "majority of the board" continue to hold the Filipino sports community in hostage, their long list of offenses remain unresolved and unanswered. From the illegal disenfranchisement of NSA's, unliquidated funding and procurement of millions of pesos as allowances using taxpayers' money, the "majority of the board" have not been made to answer for their various offenses.

courtesy of spin.ph

What makes the :majority of the board" so bold despite their offenses against Philippine sports is that they do have the numbers in POC. Every action in POC has become a numbers game. A wrong can be made right through the numbers game. And more often than not, this is what happens in POC.

courtesy of filipino.cn.cn

But the "majority of the board" have pushed their luck way too much this time. They have put the interest of the nation secondary to their desire to completely control the SEA Games hosting and the 6B peso budget that goes with it. They have dared to go against the wishes of government at this point.

courtesy of spin.ph

Thus, the need to remove the "majority of the board" becomes imperative and urgent. Philippine sports with all its athletes have suffered long enough under the hands of the "majority of the board". The Filipino people, with the help of government, must work hard to save whatever is left of Philippine sports. It is time for the Filipino people to unite and stand against the tyranny of the "majority of the board" in POC.

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT POC PRESIDENT?

With the sudden and unexpected resignation of Ricky Vargas, the position of POC president becomes up for grabs. Vie-Presidents Joey Romasanta and Jeff Tamayo are ineligible to occupy the top POC post according to POC Chairman Bambol Tolentino. Thus, the need to elect a new POC president.

Several personalities are being considered for the all-important position. From the Peping bloc, Clint Aranas of archery is a front-runner. From the Vargas group, Bambol Tolentino of cycling and Gen. Lucas Managuelod of muay thai are being seriously considered. Businessmen Jean Henri Lhuillier of tennis and Hans Sy of skating are dark horses.

With the current POC administration in turmoil, The new POC president will have his work cut out for him. The politics in POC are great and unbearable, prompting Vargas to quit. Thus, the incoming POC president must be made of sterner stuff to withstand the intense politics. At the same time, he must have the determination to really put the pests in POC in place to be able to serve the interest of the athletes and Filipino people in general. He must have the political will to do the right thing in the face of the possible corruption that may arise in POC. The attraction of the 6B peso budget of the SEA Games hosting is too hard to resist for some corrupt personalities in POC, after all.

Indeed, the new POC president must come in to save Philippine sports from corruption and too much politics.

POC MUST RECOGNIZE AND REINSTATE PVF NOW

At the 36th FIVB Congress, only 49% of the General Assembly voted to expel PVF. The percentage failed to reach the 75% mark which is what is needed to expel PVF from FIVB. Hence, PVF remains the full member of FIVB.

But FIVB BA refuses to honor the decision of the highest authority in FIVB and points to POC as the reason why PVF remains suspended. In a letter by FIVB Executive Director Fabio Azevedo to PVF, Azevedo cites PVF's non- membership to POC for the continued suspension. FIVB BA has cleverly passed the blame to POC regarding PVF's continued suspension.

But POC can now immediately recognize and reinstate PVF because the fact remains that it is still PVF that remains the one and only true member of FIVB for the Philippines. It is still PVF that is the member of FIVB and will remain so forever. Truth of the matter is, there are no legal impediments for the immediate reinstatement of PVF.

The issue in Philippine volleyball is more than just about an institution becoming a national federation once again. It is more about justice and good governance in sports. PVF has suffered for more than four years now all because of the shameless abuse of power of some individuals in POC. Great injustice was served to PVF to protect the selfish interests of some individuals in POC. And justice remains elusive for POC as POC refuses to exercise a strong political will to do the right thing.

But the injustice can now be stopped by the POC itself. All that POC has to do is to confirm with FIVB if PVF indeed remains the true full member of FIVB. And once FIVB confirms that it is still PVF that is the FIVB member, POC can immediately reinstate PVF. It is really that simple.

POC must therefore recognize and reinstate PVF now to show the entire world that is capable of serving justice and is an advocate of good governance in sports.