POC meets amid calls for reform, change

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) will hold its general assembly today, behind closed doors, at the Centuray Park Hotel, but not included in the agenda is the growing clamor by a group of national sports associations (NSAs) for change in the overall landscape of Philippine sports.

Steve Hontiveros, POC secretary-general, yesterday acknowledged the result of a marathon meeting attended by representatives of 18 NSAs the other day in a bid “to identify the problem areas in Philippine sports and find solutions.”

A member of the group, which includes former POC chairman Tom Carrasco and current board member Cynthia Carrion, however, clarified that they “are not a rebel group” and that “this isn’t about ousting Peping (Cojuangco) but about self-examination.”

Hontiveros, a long-time POC member, said the group of NSAs are entitled to their own opinion on Philippine sports.

“There’s nothing wrong with what they did. If they would like to something good for sports, then that’s good. That’s okay,” he said on the eve of the POC general assembly.

However, the former president of the Philippine Bowling Congress said the issue will not be tackled in today’s general assembly because it’s not in the agenda.

Expected to be in the menu today are the country’s hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia or last month’s Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.

“It doesn’t mean that their demands will be given right away. It’s a matter of sitting down and studying this. We have to study this and discuss it in a special session but not tomorrow. They can write a formal suggestion and it will be presented for study,” he said.

“We have to do it according to process. Once presented, it will be studied. We are not under a dictatorship here,” Hontiveros added.

An NSA official acting as spokeman of the group seeking positive changes hinted that if no action is taken by the POC, they might call for a vote of confidence or no-confidence against the POC leadership by the end of November.

The group of NSAs are also calling for a closer coordination between them and the Philippine Sports Commission, the government’s funding arm in sports.

Cojuangco has maintained his silence against previous calls for his resignation but will have to face questions from the media after today’s general assembly which starts at 2 p.m.

“If there is something they (NSAs) see, then they can formally write a letter. They have to present it formally. You can criticize but formalizing your suggestions is another thing. Madali mag-criticize eh,” he said.

“For example, kung hindi si (if it’s not) Peping (Cojuangco)  presidente, sino ang gusto mo ngayon (whom do they want as POC president)? Does he have the qualifications and can he do a much better job?” Hontiveros said.