Panlilio set to be elected SBP head

MANILA, Philippines – Al Panlilio is expected to be the next Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president, succeeding Manny V. Pangilinan as the national cage federation holds its national congress and election of officers at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati today.

Thirteen board seats will be filled up during the congress, then the new 25-man board convenes in a meeting for the election of the new set of SBP officers.

The terms of office of Pangilinan and 12 other board members had lapsed. They are barred from running for reelection, thus, the need to elect new ones to join 12 holdover members.

A total of 48 cage leagues from all over the country makes the national cage federation. They come from different sectors that have their respective seat allotments in the board.

Panlilio, the Meralco Bolts representative to the PBA board, is an SBP board member representing the pro sector along with PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa, chairman Robert Non and vice chairman Erick Arejola.

Among the other old board members whose terms had expired are chairman Oscar Moreno, vice chairman Ricky Vargas and treasurer Jay Adalem.

Among those expected to be nominated to the new board are Sen. Sonny Angara, former Rep. Robbie Puno and NLEX Road Warriors top official Ramoncito Fernandez.

Angara could be the next chairman, Puno the new vice chairman and Fernandez the new vice president. Angara and Puno were legislators that pushed for the naturalization of Marcus Douthit then Andray Blatche.

But Pangilinan could still be around as the board plans to create a new position – chairman emeritus – to be offered to the telecommunications mogul. Vargas may also stay around as senior adviser to chairman emeritus. Both positions will have no voting power in the board, though.

Pangilinan and his group have been at the SBP helm since 2007,   their leadership sparking the renaissance of Philippine basketball.

Under the presidency of Pangilinan, the Philippines took a giant leap from No. 54 to No. 28 in the FIBA World Ranking, with back-to-back silver-medal finishes in the FIBA Asia Championship and a decent showing in the 2014 World Cup in Spain.

Panlilio, Meralco senior vice president, is in the SBP core group as Pangilinan’s vice president. Panlilio had also served as chief executive officer of the local organizing group during the recent FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Also stepping down from the SBP board with Pangilinan are Bernie Atienza, Pete Alfaro, Danny Soria, Fr. Paul de Vera, Nick Jorge and Raul Alcoseba, Robert Uy, Vivian Manila and Rey Gamboa.