Monsour 2019 SEAG chef-de-mission

MANILA, Philippines — Monsour del Rosario, an athlete, actor and politician rolled into one, has been named chef-de-mission of the Philippine team to the 30th Southeast Asian Games to be hosted by the country in 2019.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Peping Cojuangco made the announcement Friday evening.

Although the appointment has yet to be formalized, the 52-year-old Del Rosario doesn’t seem to have any other choice but to accept the thankless job.

“How can I refuse when he (Cojuangco) told me, ‘You cannot refuse,’” said Del Rosario, who was also chef de mission of Philippine team to the recent Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Ashgabat in Turkmenistan.

Del Rosario, a bronze medalist in the taekwondo competitions of the 1985 World Championships and 1986 Asian Games, also served as chef-de-mission of the Philippine contingent to Turkmenistan where it won two gold medals on top of 14 silvers and 14 bronzes.

“Monsour knows how it is being an athlete and it worked well in Turkmenistan. He knew what to do,” said Cojuangco of the Philippine Taekwondo Association secretary-general, who is also congressman of the first district of Makati.

This early, word is that Del Rosario is being groomed by Cojuangco as his successor for the POC presidency.

“Cong (congressman) Peping (Cojuangco) said I cannot refuse. He said, “You cannot refuse after the very successful mission that you accomplished in the AIMAG,’” said Del Rosario, who reached the quarterfinal round of the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

“I just told Cong Peping that since 2019 is election year and I will be busy campaigning, I would need four DCDMs (deputies),” he said.

“I need people like Robert Bachmann (of squash) and Raymund Lee Reyes (of karate). I need people who can work like Bachmann and Reyes,” he said.

The Philippines is coming off a sixth-place finish in the 29th SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, and as host in 2019 has no other choice but to rank high in the standings.

“First place,”promised Cojuangco.