Olivarez elected Philta prexy

MANILA, Philippines — Parañaque City Mayor Eric Olivarez was elected president of a reformed Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) in yesterday’s International Tennis Federation (ITF)-authorized election supervised by the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Also elected were Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino as vice president, Calabarzon’s Gerardo Alcala as treasurer and Mimaropa’s Theodore Jose Matta as internal auditor.

With the election of the new Philta’s board of trustees done – and its executive officials elected – what’s left now is for the POC to report the successful proceedings that would pave the way for the ITF lifting its suspension of the national association for the sport that has drawn for almost three years.

“It’s done, the election was held and there’s a new set of officers,” POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said after the elections held at the Century Park Hotel in Manila. “We’re going to report this to the ITF to finally lift the suspension on Philta.” said Tolentino, who was overwhelmed by the huge turnouts of members from the country’s 13 regions.