Zubiri itinalagang Chairman ng Philsoc ni Duterte

MANILA, Philippines - Napili ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte si Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri bilang chairman ng 2019 Philippine Sea Games Organizing Committee (Philsoc).

Ipinahayag kahapon ni Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William “Butch” Ramirez na pangungunahan ng senador mula sa Bukidnon ang ikaapat na hosting ng Pilipinas sa Southeast Asian Games (Sea Games) sa taong 2019.

Sinabi pa ni Ramirez na ang pagtatalaga kay Zubiri ni Pres. Duterte ay kinumpirma mismo nina Presidential Management Staff head Bong Go at Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

Si Zubiri ay isang Grandmaster ng arnis at pina-ngunahan niya ang  pagpapasa ng batas na gawing “National Indigenous Sports” ang arnis. 

“POC president Jose Cojuangco had been informed already about the appointment of Sen. Zubiri by the Pres. Duterte through POC first vice-president Joey Romasanta,” sabi ni Ramirez.

Dahil kumpirmado na ang kanyang appointment bilang chairman ng Philsoc, inaasahan din na magpatawag si Zubiri ng pormal na meeting sa binuong POC-PSC Task Force upang umpisahan agad ang plano mahigit dalawang taon at kalahati na lang ang natitira bago ang nakatakdang Sea Games hosting ng bansa.

“We are the host and the POC cannot operate without government support so the role of Zubiri is to represent the president and the government para patakbuhin ang organizing committee,” dagdag ni Ramirez.

“Pag-uusapan iyan sa meeting as the money will come from the government. The POC will run the Sea Games in collaboration with the  chairman as the budget will come from the PSC,” ayon kay Ramirez.

Kung matatandaan, si Ramirez din ang chairman ng PSC nang mag-host ang Pinas ng 2005 Sea Games at itinalaga ni Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang da-ting Bulacan Governor na si Roberto Pagdanganan bilang chairman ng Philsoc na pinalitan ni Cojuangco.

“If you look at the setup before, nandyan si POC at nandyan din ako, but the one running the technical aspect ay ang POC habang kami sa PSC provided the money,” paliwanag ni Ramirez.

“It’s really a government activity kasi host ang Pilipinas. We will know the final set up as soon as Zubiri will call a meeting for the organizing committee. We are also awaiting for the official letter from Malacañang as confirmed by secretary Bong Go and Executive Secretary Medialdea,” sabi ni Ramirez. - FCagape