Advocacy and commitment

Patrick Gregorio has tendered his courtesy resignation as BAP-SBP executive director but said yesterday he will never turn his back on Philippine basketball because it’s his advocacy and commitment.

When Gregorio was appointed executive director last year (May 24, to be exact), he saw the work ahead not as a job but as a vehicle for his personal passion. Basketball is in the Gregorio blood. His brother Ryan is Purefoods head coach in the PBA and another brother Allan calls the shots for Burger King in the PBL. Their father Martin, a retired University of the Philippines vice president, has long been in love with the sport.

Now that he has served the BAP-SBP for almost a year, Gregorio said it’s time to move on.

It must be pointed out that Gregorio informed PLDT chairman and BAP-SBP president Manny Pangilinan of his decision two weeks before the recent SEABA Champions Cup where the Philippines was denied its right to play Nigeria’s Sam Ekwe because of a technicality. The Philippines wound up second in the tournament. The consensus was the title would’ve been in the bag if only Ekwe played.

Gregorio’s resignation had nothing to do with the gaffe. 

Ekwe would’ve been declared eligible with FIBA-Asia secretary-general Dato Yeoh Choo Hock’s clearance. But Dato Yeoh conveniently made himself scarce when Gregorio frantically tried to contact him for his go-signal. Dato Yeoh, who is based in Kuala Lumpur, was in Jakarta for the tournament. He never returned Gregorio’s calls and was incommunicado when the eligibility issue was raised at the managers’ meeting before the start of hostilities.

Gregorio said he had no difficulty securing authorization for the Philippines’ other import Michael LeBlanc but Ekwe was a unique case because strictly speaking, he is not a professional player or import. Ekwe is a student on a scholarship at San Beda College and has lived in Manila the last three years.

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Dato Yeoh’s mysterious disappearance was an indication there is no sympathy for the Philippines in FIBA-Asia because of its ability to dominate SEABA. Besides, Dato Yeoh is perceived to be a close ally of BAP officials who are now waging war against the BAP-SBP leadership.

Gregorio said his exit will allow him to pursue corporate options, study opportunities in sports marketing and from a vantage point, formulate a strategy to create a paradigm shift in making a National Sports Association (NSA) like the BAP-SBP relevant to the times.

Gregorio, 40, was the chief marketing officer of the Hyatt group’s Microtel chain for which the Phinma Group is the franchisee, a consultant of the Lopez Group for the North expressway and the president and general manager of the Waterfront Hotel before joining the BAP-SBP. He was a TOYM awardee for tourism in 2003. 

Gregorio said he will continue to be deeply involved in BAP-SBP affairs until May 31, his day of resignation and also the day when the active associations are determined to be the legitimate stakeholders with the right to vote in the new 25-man Board of Trustees.

The BAP, which used to be the NSA for basketball until its expulsion by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), is expected to dispute the findings of the BAP-SBP membership committee chaired by former pro and San Miguel Corp. executive Ely Capacio. The BAP claims a roster of 66 associations but only a handful seems to be legitimately active, according to sources. The BAP itself is a nebulous body because it has outlived its usefulness and is no longer recognized as a distinct organization by the POC or even FIBA.

The POC will monitor the coming elections.

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With Pangilinan expected to yield the presidency, there is speculation former PBA commissioner Noli Eala will take over the position. Eala is a member of the current 25-man Board and the lead convenor of Liga Pilipinas which debuts with 16 teams in May.

Since the president appoints the executive director, it is entirely possible Eala – if he is voted in and accepts – could designate Gregorio for a new term because of their previous working relationship.

Gregorio, however, said he’s not thinking specifics beyond May 31.

In his year-long tenure, Gregorio said the difficult part of conceptualization and funding were addressed. He cited as some of his achievements the formation of national teams from youth to elite and the establishment of national basketball training centers, the national youth championships of the Philippine Olympic Festival, the Philippine collegiate championships and the Liga Pilipinas.

Gregorio said there must be a conscious effort to rid sports of interfering politicians with no respect, love or passion for the game. “Why is politics always getting in the way of what is good for the country?” he wondered. “I appeal to everyone to please make a stand. You know what is good for Philippine basketball. If my resignation will pave the way for people to realize that the vision of Mr. Pangilinan must continue, then I will be at peace. I have done my job. And maybe, I have done it well.”