Honoring the bridge builder

Last night, the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) bestowed upon Philippine Sports Commission chairman William “Butch” Ramirez the prestigious Executive of the Year Award at its SMC-PSA Annual Awards gala, held at the Centennial Hall of The Manila Hotel. This was in recognition of his accomplishment as Chef De Mission of the Philippine contingent that won the 2019 Southeast Asian Games overall championship, the country’s first since also hosting the Games in 2005. The 1,115-strong Team Philippines won a record 149 gold, 117 silver, and 121 bronze medals, its greatest output since joining the SEA Games for the first time in 1977.

But really, it was also an opportunity for the sportswriting community to acknowledge the selfless service of a man who has built bridges – even with unlikely partners – for the betterment of sports.

Ramirez, 69, was educated by French-Canadian nuns and priests, and is, first and foremost, an educator. He earned a Master’s degree in public administration, after majoring in history and minoring in English Literature. He was athletic director of Davao City for many years and coached at the Ateneo de Davao. He was one of the organizers of the nationwide “listening tour” of then-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, then led presidential candidate Duterte’s advance team during the 2016 campaign. His warm, diplomatic, compassionate touch has won over even the most resistant opponents.

Ramirez was first called to serve as PSC chair in 2005. And though it meant uprooting from his beloved Mindanao, he hit the ground running, and quickly went about building relationships with national sports associations (NSAs), sponsors and even the polarizing Philippine Olympic Committee of the day. He also sought alliances with several sports and educational institutions in Australia, Europe and the Americas, and looked into programs which would better the lives of Filipino athletes. During that time, he also gave the chance for a teenaged Hidilyn Diaz to train for the Philippine team for the first time. It was also during this time that he launched “Sports for Peace,” “Bola, Hindi Bala” and other programs that proved the unifying strength of sport, overcoming the differences between Muslims, Christians and indigenous peoples (Lumad). If he could do it in the culturally diverse Southern Philippines, he could do it anywhere. These initiatives were recognized by the United Nations and Pres. Gloria Arroyo.

In 2009, Butch was abruptly replaced when the administration chose to shift to a more combative approach against the POC. He continued his programs in Davao City, until his old friend the mayor was persuaded to run for Chief Executive. In 2016, Ramirez was asked to return to the PSC, with one major difference. Duterte had fixed the misinterpretation of the National Sports Development Fund Law. The PSC would now have twice as much money, as was always intended. Also, his new board would flex its muscles, exercising visitorial, oversight, and even supervisory powers over all those who received government funds. Gone are the days when NSAs treated the Commission as their piggy banks. They were now required to liquidate expenses; if not, the PSC would remit allowances directly to the athletes. No more freeloaders.

Since 2016, Ramirez built linkages with several government agencies, and encouraged everyone at the PSC to keep learning. A voracious reader, Ramirez formally launched the Philippine Sports Institute, and is converting the PhilSports compound into a school. Coaches will be paid full-time salaries and given overseas training. Older athletes are being prepared for a future as trainers. The PSC has also put in place the creation of regional training centers to share the knowledge and experience. He has also partnered with the Department of the Interior and Local Governments (DILG) and Department of Education (DepEd) for true grassroots development.

“At this point, we really want to share our knowledge, our experience,” Ramirez explains. “There was no grassroots program to speak of. DepEd and local governments have showcase events like Palarong Pambansa, but no development programs. We’re almost done already.”

But Ramirez’s shining moment came as chef de mission for last year’s SEA Games. With all the incompetence, corruption and glacial inaction caught by the sports media, Ramirez became the focal point for rapid problem-solving. Leaders of other delegations would bring their concerns and complaints to him directly, not to PHISGOC. (To this day, PHISGOC has not been able to liquidate the P6 billion used for the Games.) Under the President’s instructions, the PSC even disbursed an additional P522 million to save the SEA Games. And rightly so, the agency focused its efforts on the athletes, who could do no less than deliver their best. The results speak for themselves.

“This is not for us,” Ramirez insists. “The learning never stops. As we learn more, we can give more; we can teach more. That is what we will leave behind.”