Weatherproof in Congress

It’s appropriate that Yeng Guiao is the coach of the PBA team Rain Or Shine because as a public servant, his track record shows he has delivered regardless of weather conditions. He’s no fair-weather politician. Guiao comes through, rain or shine, and it’s for this reason why he deserves a second term as congressman of the first district of Pampanga. He’s running for reelection in tomorrow’s polls.

Guiao, 57, served as board member and a three-term vice governor before gaining his first mandate as congressman so he came well-prepared for the job. It’s been 15 years since Guiao won as provincial board member in 2001. The experience has gone a long way in making Guiao a seasoned legislator with 31 House bills authored.

One of Guiao’s measures was making CPR a requirement for high school graduation in public and private schools. The bill has been approved by the House and is now on third reading at the Senate. There’s a possibility that it may be passed into law before the next administration takes over. Guiao called it the Samboy Lim Law, referring to the former PBA star who suffered a heart attack on the bench during a basketball game and was declared dead on arrival at the hospital. Lim was without oxygen for 23 minutes and if only CPR was administered, he would’ve recovered quickly. Doctors revived Lim in the emergency room and today, he is wheelchair-bound, conscious but unable to speak or see.

Known as a fierce competitor who defies all odds, Guiao recently went to the Supreme Court to compel PAGCOR and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to remit the amounts stipulated by law to the PSC. Under the law, PAGCOR is supposed to give up five percent of its gross income and PCSO, 30 percent of revenues from six sweepstakes or lottery draws annually to the PSC. But since 1993, the PSC has received only about half of what it should’ve. To clear the air on the issue once and for all, Guiao took the case to the Supreme Court because haggling for what should be remitted hasn’t gotten the PSC anywhere.

A court competitor himself, Guiao played basketball at La Salle Greenhills high school and UP in the UAAP. He earned a degree in industrial engineering at UP in 1983, became a PSC consultant and served as PBL commissioner. Guiao is a former national team coach and in the PBA, has captured six titles, two with Swift, three with Red Bull and one with Rain Or Shine.

At the moment, Guiao is in the Commissioner’s Cup Finals with the Elasto Painters who are one up on Alaska in the best-of-seven series. It’s been 10 conferences since Rain Or Shine’s first title so Guiao is out to end the drought. Rain Or Shine has made it to four Finals in the last 10 conferences but never ascended the throne. This is the team’s fifth Finals appearance in the last 11 conferences.

What never ceases to amaze fans is how Guiao is able to manage his time between Congress and the PBA. It’s a gift that he has. Obviously, Guiao is a believer in delegating responsibility and trusting his lieutenants. That only means Guiao takes pains in developing those who work with and for him. He’s not one to take credit for himself. He’s the type of leader who gives opportunities for others to shine. That’s the way he coaches at Rain Or Shine. In Game 2 of the recent Rain Or Shine-San Miguel Beer semifinal series, Guiao couldn’t break out of commitments in Pampanga and assistant Caloy Garcia called the shots for the Painters. Garcia led Rain Or Shine to a pulsating 98-96 win. Guiao’s equal opportunity system makes every player in his roster an asset to the franchise, ready to do his share when called upon like a soldier on call for duty.

It’s the reason why in Game 1 of the Finals, Rain Or Shine won over Alaska, 105-97, even as the Painters’ import Pierre Henderson-Niles shot only six points and the Aces’ import Rob Dozier hit 41. Guiao drew strength from a total team effort with four locals finishing in double figure points.

Each player in Rain Or Shine’s cast has started at least once. Nobody has a monopoly of playing minutes. Guiao rotates deep and gives every player a chance to show what he can do, either as a starter or reliever. Take Beau Belga, for instance. He hadn’t scored in twin digits in 16 straight games or since the opening game where he shot 12 against the Star Hotshots. But in Game 1, Belga erupted for 15 points. It was a similar case with Paul Lee who fired a conference-high 20 in the series opener. Lee sat out the first five games of the conference because of a knee issue and Guiao slowly broke him back into the flow, preparing him for the Last Dance. Lee paid back Guiao for his trust with a Best Player of the Game performance last Friday.

Another PBA personality running for public office in Pampanga is 1992 MVP Ato Agustin, a candidate for councilor in San Fernando. Running unopposed for another term as Pampanga vice governor is Dennis Pineda, known for developing and taking care of PBA cagers Arwind Santos, Calvin Abueva, Ian Sangalang and Ronald Pascual.