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Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Panel launches new basketball body
By Frank Calapre
Sun.Star Correspondent
MANILA - The war is over. The Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) and the Pilipinas Basketball (PB) yesterday launched the newly created Samahang Basketball Ng Pilipinas Inc. (SBPI) at the historic Manila Hotel.
Sportsman-businessman Manny V. Pangilinan, chairman of the three-man panel tasked to unify the two basketball organizations, led the unveiling, together with BAP president Joey Lina and BP head Bernie Atienza.
The formal unveiling came a day after the panel, along with BAP chairman Michel Lhuillier of Cebu and Philippine Basketball Association chairman Ricky Vargas, officially signed the Articles of Incoporation of the SBPI for registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
“I expressed my gratitude to Joey (Lina) and Bernie (Atienza) for a job well done and for their commitment to unite for the love of basketball and country,” said Pangilinan, chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PLDT and Smart Communications.
Turned down
Even as Pangilinan reiterated his commitment to the new basketball organization, he formally turned-down an offer to lead the SBPI because of his work as a full time business executive.
“I am committed to the federation to the best I can. But I can’t be president because our agreement with Joey and Bernie is to have a full time president. I can’t fit into it. I am not the proper person to lead the organization because I am full time business executive,” said Pangilinan during a press conference at the Manila Hotel.
He said that with the creation of the SBPI, the problem in basketball that led to the country’s July 2005 ban from participating in any Fiba-sactioned international tournament is now solved.
Pangilinan, who will convene the National Congress as soon as the SEC registration is approved, also donated P1 million paid-up capital of SBPI as a non-stock, non-profit organization registered with the SEC.
“The problem now is settled, and in the next 10 days, we are hoping for Fiba to lift the suspension. I think it’s a good start” added Pangilinan.
Assurance
For his part, Lina, a former senator and secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, said that Federation International des Basketball (Fiba) secretary-general Patrick Baumann assured him last Thursday that the suspension will be lifted as soon as the eight-point agreement forged by the two organizations on Aug. 28 in Tokyo, Japan is totally implemented.
“I called up Mr. Baumann two days ago in the presence of Manny (Pangilinan) and Bernie (Atienza). And he was very happy about the development,” said Lina.
The three-man panel also approved the lists of 25 individuals serving as founding trustees of SBPI.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 19, 2006 issue)
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