COBRA-PAL PDBF ELITE TEAM : THE STUFF THAT FILIPINOS ARE MADE OF

courtesy of fullpointcebu.com

I attended the presscon of the Cobra-PAL PDBF Elite Team to see the team that I have grown to love. Through the years, through highs and lows, I like to think that I have become friends with the officers of PDBF and their world champion paddlers. I have shared so many happy and sad moments with the people of PDBF that there is no way but to feel attached to the team.

But what truly binds me to the team are its resiliency and high standard for excellence. Despite the hardships that the team faced in Canada, it managed to win 4 gold medals to qualify for the World Cup in 2016. The team had to sleep in a gym and relied on the generosity of the Filipino community in Ontario for sustenance. Had the team been supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission, such hardships could have been prevented. But then again, POC and PSC choose to be selfish, irresponsible and downright cruel. Thus, the team even had to bring a rice cooker to save on food expenses.

Still the high standard for excellence of the team overcame whatever difficulty it faced and did the country proud. And that, I believe is what being a Filipino is all about. In the midst of hardship, Filipinos still manage to do well and give a world-class performance.

Congratulations Cobra-PAL PDBF Elite Team.

IBALIK ANG PDBF BILANG NSA SA DRAGON BOAT

from Philippine Dragon Boat timeline

Muli na naman mag-uuwi ng karangalan ang PDBF Teams matapos manalo ng apat na gintong medalya sa ginaganap na IDBF 12th World Nations Championships sa Canada.

Matapos bawian ng pagkilala ng POC at PSC, patuloy sa pag-ani ng tagumpay ang mga koponang pinamamahalaan ng PDBF. Taong 2011 nang ideklara ng POC at PSC na di na lehitimong national federation ang PDBF dahil sa isang direktiba na inilabas diumano ng International Olympic Committee (IOC). Nawala ang PDBF bilang isang national federation dahil sa nasabing direktiba.

Matapos ang apat na taon, tahasan kong sasabihin na walang direktibang inilabas ang IOC. Nagsinungaling ang POC at PSC.

Hawak ko ang pahayag ng presidente ng IDBF na walang ganung direktiba. Hawak ko rin ang salaysay ng US Dragon Boat Head Coach Bob McNamara na nagsasabi na wala ngang direktiba. At higit sa lahat, hawak ko ang patotoo ng IOC na wala ngang direktiba inilalabas ang IOC na naglalagay sa dragon boat sa ilalim ng ICF.

Kaya marapat lang na ibalik ng POC at PSC ang pagkilala sa PDBF bilang NSA sa dragon boat. Mahiya naman sana ang POC at PSC sa pagkakait ng pagkilala sa natatanging pandaigdigang kampeon na koponan ng Pilipinas at sa national federation na nangangalaga nito.

LVPI AND PVF OFFICIALS : BACK-TO-BACK

courtesy of pba-online.net

For my next article in Bandera, I plan to interview two personalities each from LVPI and PVF. The interviews will be placed side-by-side to show the volleyball community who really has the vision and purest intention for Philippine volleyball. The interview of LVPI Sec. Gen. Ricky Palou will be side-by-side with PVF Sec. Gen Karl Chan. The interview of LVPI's Tats Suzara will be with PVF's Dr. Rustico Camangian.

courtesy of sg.news.yahoo.com

The article promises to be exciting as each personality will answer the same set of interview questions. So far, Karl Chan and Otie Camangian have agreed to grant the interview. Will Ricky Palou and Tats Suzara follow suit ?

courtesy of spin.ph

courtesy of sg.news.yahoo.com

Let us wait and see.

SORRY NA LANG DIN POC AT LVPI

courtesy of manilastandartoday.com

courtesy of philstar.com

Ayon sa isang mapapagkatiwalaan source, hindi naisumite ng POC/LVPI ang hinihingi ng hukom na POC GA Minutes mula 2012 hanggang 2014. Matapos humingi ng ilang ulit na pagpapaliban, hindi pa rin nakuhang isumite ng POC/LVPI ang mga nasabing dokumento.

Ang POC GA Minutes kasi ang magdidiin sa POC/LVPI sa kaso. Ang POC GA Minutes ang magpapatunay na di totoo ang sinasabi ng POC/LVPI na nag-disband ang PVF. Ang POC GA Minutes ang magpapatunay na patuloy na dumadalo ang PVF sa mga general assemblies ng POC mula 2012 hanggang 2014.  Ang POC GA Minutes ay matinding pruweba na kinikilala mismo ng POC ang PVF bilang nag-iisang NSA sa volleyball mula 2012-2014 dahil ang mga kinikilalang NSA lamang ang iniimbitahan at maaring dumalo sa isang POC General Assembly.

Sa halip na POC GA Minutes ang isumite, ayon sa naturang source, isang liham ang binigay ng panig ng POC/LVPI sa korte. At ang nakasulat sa liham ay "sorry but we cannot submit to the court the POC GA Minutes as the said documents are not in our files". Hindi na raw makita ang mga kopya ng hinihinging dokumento sa opisina ng POC.

Sa ginawa nila, sorry na lang din ang maaring ipaabot sa pamunuan ng POC at LVPI. Sorry at alam na ng hukom ang nararapat na hatol sa kanila. Sorry na lang din at alam na rin ng taumbayan ngayon ang tamang kalalagyan ng POC at LVPI.

WALA AKONG KAIBIGAN NA SPORTS WRITER

courtesy of studyofsports.com

Sa kasagsagan ng gulo sa pagitan ng POC/LVPI at PVF, sandamukal na mga sports writers ang todo sa pagtatanggol sa POC/LVPI. Mabibilang sa daliri sa isang kamay ang mga sports writers na pumanig at sumulat para sa PVF.

Ngayong lantad na ang bulok na sistema ng LVPI at kawalan nito ng programa sa volleyball, nasaan na ang mga sports writers na panay papuri noon sa LVPI at mga opisyal nito ?

Nakakalungkot isipin na naging bahagi sa pang-aapi at pagtatakip sa katotohanan ang karamihan sa mga sports writers. Imbes na gamitin nila ang kanilang panulat bilang liwanag sa gitna ng kadiliman, pinili ng karamihan ang pabanguhin ang maling gawain ng LVPI. Di ko lubos maisip na marami pala sa hanay ng mga sports writers ang wala na matinong pag-iisip at hubad sa matapang na paninindigan at makatwirang pananaw sa buhay.

Marahil, nasilaw sila sa perang ipinamamahagi sa kanila para gawing tama ang mali. Subalit sino ang masisikmura na ipakain sa kanyang pamilya ang galing sa maling gawain ?

Kaya naman, tama lang na wala akong kaibigan na sports writer bukod sa aking editor. Walang kwentang mga tao ang karamihan sa mga sports writers sa Pilipinas.

CHINA OVER THE PHILIPPINES FOR 2019 FIBA WORLD CUP

courtesy of twitter.com

China wins the hosting rights of the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Judging from the final video presentations alone, China truly deserves to win over the Philippines.

I am truly shocked that SBP, under the leadership of Manny V. Pangilinan, submitted a final video presentation that is so bereft of substance and ability to inspire and excite. The video is so ill-researched, ill-conceived and fails to capture the essence of the Filipino spirit for the sport of basketball.

Perhaps, the Philippine contingent relied heavily on its close ties with Patrick Baumann to win. Thus, the amateurish final video presentation. China, on the other hand, relied on its track record of hosting major international tournaments. The final video presentation of China truly excites the audience to go to China and witness the biggest sporting event for basketball.

What I am truly sad is that the Philippine contingent does not seem to know the international standards for excellence. The concept of  "puso" can only go so far. The Philippines must strive to meet international standards to be taken seriously.

Hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon, puso and dapat pairalin.

THE CRUEL STATEMENT OF LVPI SEC-GEN RICKY PALOU

courtesy of spin.ph

Masama ang performance natin (sa VTV Cup). But that was       expected --- LVPI secretary-general Ricky Palou

The above-statement of LVPI Sec-Gen Ricky Palou reeks of insensitivity, cruelty and irresponsibility. The statement, more than anything else, indicates the lack of concern of LVPI for the players and country in general. 

Why did LVPI, in the first place, send a team that it knows will not perform well ? Why did LVPI not allow PVF to send its own knowing that PVF has a competitive team in Pilipinas Amihan ? The statement too indicates clearly that LVPI did not have full confidence on the players to do well. If that was the case, why did LVPI not prepare its players well by conducting training twice a day at the very least ? LVPI merely subjected the players to humiliation in Vietnam. To add insult to injury, Ricky Palou issues the cruel statement.

To the players who played for LVPI in Vietnam, now is the time to go berserk against the very officials who you trusted to take good care of you. Learn to discern who are truly after your welfare.

WILL PVF FINALLY STOP POC ?

The decision on the mandatory injunction case filed by PVF against POC/LVPI will be released by the Pasig RTC Branch 154 any time soon.

Will the decision be favorable to PVF ? I definitely think so. The main argument of POC/LVPI that PVF disbanded and disappeared into thin air is simply outrageous. The inability of POC to submit to the honorable court its General Assembly minutes, where PVF is shown to be an attendee, negatively affects the credibility of the disbandment claim. The hosting of the Asian Men's Club Championship last year by PVF further destroys the disbandment claim.

But then again, POC can simply ignore the court decision. Through the years and against a number of NSA's, POC has cited its autonomous nature in disregarding lower court decisions. PVF must then file a case for contempt of court should POC use the same strategy.

PVF must tell POC/LVPI that no one is above the law.

Has POC met its match ? I definitely think so.

It is definitely about time that an NSA puts a stop to the merciless and truly damaging ways of POC and its allies.

WHERE IS THE LOVE, LVPI ?

  

The disastrous and humiliating performance of the LVPI team in the recent VTV Cup shows the absence of love for the sport of volleyball, players and country of LVPI officials.

LVPI officials clearly do not have love for the sport of volleyball as they blatantly disrespected the tournament in Vietnam. If LVPI officials truly love volleyball, they would have treated it with more respect by assuring quality games from the team that it dared to send to the tournament.

LVPI officials do not have love for the players as they subjected and exposed them to humiliation. The players were sent to be slaughtered by the opposition as they were not even trained as a team. And slaughtered they were, losing even to a university team where a victory could have salvaged a semblance of pride and honor.

Lastly, LVPI officials do not have love for the country as they focused more on saving their faces than bringing honor and pride to the country. For the LVPI team to finish dead-last in the tournament, to lose to a university team and to post several single-digit scores in several sets simply offend the sensibilities of Filipinos as a whole. A Filipino who truly loves his or her country will never do anything to bring shame to the motherland to that extent.

Where is the love, LVPI ?