Tuesday, February 06, 2007 New group gets Cesafi support By Marian C. Baring Sun.Star Staff Reporter
MANILA - The Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) commissioner threw his full support behind the newly formed basketball group, which Fiba recognized yesterday.
"We support this new body because we are after all for unity. And this is for the good of Philippine basketball," said commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy.
While Tiukinhoy was impressed and happy that after many months, the issue of one governing body is finally at rest and the Fiba suspension will finally be lifted, Tiukinhoy said the success in the regions remains to be seen.
"We need to organize one body in the regions. We can't have separate heads," Tiukinhoy added.
Major role
University of the Visayas head coach Elmer Cabahug, who was appointed one of the board members together with other Cebuanos Michel Lhuillier and Councilor Yayoy Alcoseba, said Cesafi was tasked with a major role by the new group, BAP-SBP.
"Cesafi will serve as the local sanctioning body for inter-school competitions, while Alcoseba will be assigned for the commercial league," Cabahug said.
He said that Cesafi was chosen, being one of the stakeholders of the Pilipinas Basketball, and for it being a long running league, which dates back when it was still called the Cebu Amateur Athletic Association.
"They chose the Cesafi because of experience and expertise. We have been here a very long time already," he said.
Instead of Tiukinhoy, Cabahug was the one who represented Cesafi in the board meeting.
Too early
Tiukinhoy, for his part, said that it will be too early for them to react on it since he will have to report his observations in front of the Cesafi board.
"I have not been invited to the stakeholders and board meeting, so it is Boy's responsibility to inform the stakeholders in Cebu about what transpired in the meeting," Tiukinhoy added.
Lhuillier for his part said that when he was appointed, he made sure that he mentioned that the people from the south will not be forgotten.
"I told everyone not to forget the Vis-Min people and I will make sure that they will help us out," said Lhuillier, who together with Alcoseba, are the heads of the Cebu City Sports Commission.
