Friday, December 07, 2007 Ex-SunStar editor named sports commissioner By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
THAILAND -- Eric Loretizo, former news editor of Sun.Star Bacolod was appointed as new commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Loretizo was only informed by Commissioner Ritchie Garcia about his appointment while they were attending the 80th birthday celebration of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej that coincided with the opening of the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Nakhom Ratchasima Province Wednesday night.
"I don't know what to say. I'm speechless. But I think, I have to thank people behind my appointment," Loretizo told Sun.Star-Bacolod.
"I was really, really shocked. I never expected this," Loretizo said.
Garcia, in an exclusive interview, said Loretizo's appointment, as a new commissioner, was really a wise decision on the part of PSC Chairman William Ramirez.
Garcia, however, admitted that Bacolod Representative Monico Puentevella was among those who recommended Loretizo for the position.
"Although I haven't seen any official paper yet for Eric's appointment, I know that what Chairman Ramirez had relayed to me Wednesday about it was already official and reliable,' said Garcia, adding that Loretizo's appointment is effective December 1, 2007.
Garcia also said, "It's been a long time that we're looking for a good replacement of then commissioner and now Congressman Puentevella. And it's good that there's Eric now. He's (Loretizo) is really a good replacement for Monico. No doubt on it."
Garcia added he has high hope with Loretizo to make good at the PSC considering of the latter's experiences as sports journalist and former secretary general of Bacolod Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (BaSoc) during the 23rd Seagames held in Manila, Cebu and Bacolod in 2005.
"We trust Eric very much. His involvement in so many sports events like in the local, national and international competitions made him not just real but also veteran sportsman, and so he's fitted to be one of the country's sports commissioners now," Garcia further explained.
Aside from Loretizo, Father Victor Uy was also appointed as new PSC executive director.
Loretizo meantime is not an "alien' in sports.
During his college days at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, Loretizo was an editor-in-chief of the college's Tolentine Star. He also took charge of the sports section.
He was also the managing editor and later news editor of Sun.Star-Bacolod in 1994.
Also a former president of Sports Communicators of the Philippines (Scoop) - Bacolod, Loretizo had been into a lot of corporate and PR works.
From Sun.Star-Bacolod, Loretizo moved to the Provincial Capitol of Negros Occidental as private secretary and later as executive assistant of then governor Rafael Coscolluela in 1995.
In 1994 to 1996, he was also the executive director of Pana-ad sa Negros Festival.
Loretizo also became the corporate relations officer of La Tondena-Ginebra in Negros from 1996 to 1999, before he moved on as media consultant of then congresswoman Edith Villanueva in the 3rd District of Negros Occidental.
From Villanueva, he moved to Puentevella with the same job until now.
In 2005, Loretizo became the secretary general of BaSoc, and in the following year, he was appointed as Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Sports Ambassador for the Asian Games in Doha, Quatar.
