Chot Reyes’ Double Team

MANILA, Philippines — He hardly has time to hit the fairways these days, and Vincent “Chot” Reyes insists his golf game has suffered. But winning the bronze medal in the recent 2018 MVP Olympics and earning the lowest gross honors in the executive division of the subsequent MVP Media Golf Cup belie his claim.

Truly, though, he is a busy man these days and has had to cut down on many things he used to enjoy. 

A year and four months into his twin roles as president/chief executive officer of TV5 and back as head coach of the Philippine national basketball team, Reyes is tackling head on the tasks he describes as “difficult but very challenging and interesting.”

A champion coach, communicator and motivation speaker, Reyes has keyed a surge for TV5 and has steered Gilas Pilipinas to the second round of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

He credits good management teams that help him perform both functions – diverse though they may be – with flying colors. For his part, he won’t turn his back on challenges that could be an opportunity for him to grow, develop and learn new things.

Chot Reyes, a multi-awarded sportsman on the court and on the green now finds himself at the helm of TV5. (Left )Jun Mendoza/Star (Right) Geremy Pintolo/Star

“For me, the value really is in the ability to work with people – whether it’s basketball or TV5, an ability to reach out and work with other people within a wider circle,” Reyes says.

He continues: “For example with Gilas, I’m not just dealing with my players, I have to have a good relationship with the PBA commissioner, with the team owners and I have to communicate with them. At TV5, it’s not just our employees. I have to talk to advertisers, different executives in the biggest companies in the MVP Group of Companies. So it is important in my job, that ability to continue to work with people, and I try to please or satisfy the needs of a lot of people while at the same time holding firm on our beliefs and decisions.

“It is always give and take in any given situation. In the end, whether it’s Gilas or TV5, it’s really about people. It’s about being able to make decisions for the good of the greater majority. And because of the challenges we are facing, I think my leadership and personal development improve as well. I develop as an executive, as a leader and as a coach.”

He readily acknowledges that the trickiness and toughness of the job are a given.

“But nothing worth achieving comes easy. It all comes at a very high price. So if we want to go to the Olympics, we have to pay a high price. If we want to turn TV5 into a profitable organization, we have to pay a high price,” Reyes says.

Reyes takes a selfie with Team Media Quest during the opening ceremony of the MVP Olympics. Joey Viduya/Star

A sportsman almost all his life, his becoming a network chief was a surprise. Reyes says it was by accident.

He was just handling the Sports5 portfolio when the opportunity presented itself upon the early retirement of former TV5 president and CEO Noel Lorenzana in September 2016.

“I think I’ve proven myself in the basketball arena. But in the corporate world, there’s a lot more to prove. Kaya lang nung pumasok ako sa (When I came into) Sports5, it was losing heavily. When I got in, I cut the loss by half. In my second year, we made it profitable. So even if TV5 was not profitable, Sports5 was profitable. I think that was the strength of my performance, and the whole Media5, sales and marketing and digital was offered to me. It’s accidental because of the early retirement of Mr. Lorenzana. At the start, I served on an interim basis. I was tested for three months,” he explains.

Reyes and his team have since boosted TV5’s standing in the industry.

“Year 2017 was my first full year as president/CEO, and we improved the bottom line by 43 percent. I think that’s a pretty good achievement. Hopefully this year, we improve by another 50 percent then the following year, we can get to a much better financial position. Make no mistake, we improved the bottom line by 43 percent but we’re still in the red. But at least, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak,” he says. 

Reyes returns as Gilas Pilipinas head coach. Jun Mendoza/Star

 Key to TV5’s rebound is concentrating heavily on sports and news with its tie-up with giant international sports network ESPN. 

“We decided we would no longer compete with the giant networks. In terms of revenue, we get less, but at the same time, we have less cost,” Reyes says.

His return to Gilas was a bit of a surprise because he had pronounced his retirement from coaching after eight PBA titles and a glorious campaign in 2013 when he engineered Team Phl’s runner-up finish in the FIBA Asia Championship. The reward was the country’s return to the FIBA World Cup after 36 long years.

 “The decision I made was that I’m retired from professional basketball coaching, but I will never retire from serving the country. And that’s the only way I know how to serve our country, no matter how difficult it is, no matter how many haters there are. Sometimes, it’s a thankless job but somebody has to do it,” Reyes explains.

“We tried (American/Kiwi coach) Tab Baldwin, but the management was not happy, and they asked me back. The feeling was that it really needs a Filipino to be able to coach the Philippine national team. That’s why I accepted it again,” he adds.

Thus, he’s back in the limelight as the Gilas chieftain while at the same time attending to his duties as a TV network boss.

Gilas Pilipinas after their game against Japan at the MOA Arena earlier this year. Jun Mendoza/Star

Actually, there was some hesitation on Reyes’ part to return to Gilas.

“If it’s my first time to coach the national team, malamang hindi ko tinanggap or hindi ko mapagsasabay (I wouldn’t have accepted it or I wouldn’t do them simultaneously). But I’m used to it and it’s not like the PBA where you play the whole year. Since Gilas’ journeys are seasonal, I thought pwedeng gawan ng paraan (I can make it work). Plus I felt that I’ve built good teams in both,” Reyes says. “I have a good management team at TV5 and I have a good coaching staff as well in Gilas. I think that’s very important – the two teams that we’ve built in both organizations are really helping me perform both functions.”

But sacrifices have to be made, especially during the FIBA windows.

He has taken a leave of absence from teaching at his alma mater Ateneo de Manila U and has cut down on corporate talks.

“Nag-suffer ang golf ko,” Reyes rues, going back to a sport he clearly enjoys. “Dati ang index ko almost eight. Ngayon balik sa (Now I’m back to) 11 o 12. Di na nga ako nakaka-break (I can’t even break) 80, 85. On a regular basis, I may be now (handicap) 14. Talagang kulang sa laro (I really don’t play enough).” 

He takes a selfie with Gilas manager Butch Antonio and Meralco’s Al Panlilio. Geremy Pintolo/Star

The biggest sacrifice of all is time with the family. “They bear the brunt. Luckily, all our kids have graduated, and essentially they have lives of their own,” he says.

Chot, his wife Cherry and their children were together in making the decision to retake the Gilas job. One issue talked about is the cruel bashing they have to take on every Gilas slide.

“Cherry was saying why subject yourself to the torture again. But Cherry came around, and there’s a unanimous decision. The kids can take the social media. They’re all exposed to that,” he says.

Reyes is committed to a long, tough journey with Gilas, especially as the Philippines – in a team-up with Japan and Indonesia – won the rights to host the FIBA World Cup in 2023.

Of course, the first goal is to make the grade for the 2019 World Cup in China then qualify for the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020. Then there’s the Asian Games in Indonesia this August.

Through the first two windows of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, Gilas Pilipinas has guaranteed itself a berth in the next round on a two-game sweep of Japan plus a “home” game victory over Chinese Taipei.

Jun Mendoza/Star

The Nationals play their last “away” game against the Taiwanese in Taipei on June 29, then play host to Team Australia at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan on July 2. After that, they’re likely to face Iran, Kazakhstan and Qatar in the second round.

A finish in the Top Three in that group means an automatic ticket to the 2019 World Cup.

“We’ve hurdled the first step and I like our chances. But it’s still a long way to go, and we’re facing tough rivals. Imagine the long trips, and it’s no joke,” Reyes says. “Fortunately, I have an open line with PBA commissioner Willie Marcial. Hopefully, magawan ng paraan ang (we can work out the) practices namin for the second round. s (If we fix that), we’ll have a good chance.” 

By early next year, Gilas will know its fate. And around that time, Reyes hopes they have also worked out TV5’s complete turnaround.

“The goal is to get TV5 to profitability. First is to get to a break-even position that will already be like a victory,” says Reyes. “Having a TV network is a big value to the entire group – PLDT, Meralco, Philex, the hospitals. Malaking bagay na may (It’s a big thing to have a) TV network, huwag lang malugi ng pagkalaki-laki (as long as we don’t suffer huge losses). So for us to get to a break-even position, that’s a big victory for us.”

He holds no illusions that he would be there forever.

“I came in with my eyes wide open. I know if I don’t get the job done, not turn the company around in two or three years, some people will come and I’m going to be replaced. I know that, sanay tayo sa (I’m used to) coaching na (where) coaches are hired to be fired,” he smiles.