Philippine ski and snowboard body attains full-time POC membership

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Ski and Snowboard Federation (PSSF) is now a regular member of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) family after two years of waiting, according to PSSF president Jim Palomar Apelar.

Apelar announced that the PSSF has been granted a full recognition after completing all the necessary documents like the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) certificate of incorporation. He said the decision was made during the POC’s general assembly in Tagaytay City last Wednesday.

“I would like to thank our President Abraham Tolentino and the POC family for granting us the full recognition as the legitimate winter  snow sports body in the Philippines,” Apelar said, whose national sports association (NSA) has become the 52nd voting regular member.   

Apelar joined the country’s lone Winter Olympics representative skier Asa Miller in Beijing, China last February 4 to 20 together with Chef de Mission Bones Floro, Nikki Cheng and Jobert Yu

“We will follow the same initiative of the POC to find the very best Filipino talents in winter snow sports, skiing, and snowboarding all over the world who will bring pride and honor to our tropical nation. This is a great day for us,” Apelar, who is based in Los Angeles, California, added.  

Aside from Apelar, who is also serving as chairman, his son Jezreel Gaius Apelar was named the association secretary-general and vice-chairman, Samantha Uichico as vice-president and secretary, Charlie Walker as treasurer and financial secretary, and Angeline Marie Gervacio as board member and vice-president for public relations.

Apelar added he would intensify the development of cross country disciplines, which were also held in Winter Beijing Olympics in Zhangjiakou.  

“This is the only NSA that has no Filipino based athletes, but that will change because we are launching the rollerski program,” he added. “We discussed it already with fellow Southeast Asian nations to become part of the biennial meet. Rollerski is part of our cross country discipline that will be part of the SEA Games in Thailand in 2025.”

“It's a summer sports but you can credit your summer points towards the regular winter cross-country point system.

Prior to changing the name in 2020, the PSSF was formerly known as the Philippine Ski Federation in 2005.