POC gets IOC stamp of approval

No less than the International Olympic Committee (IOC) director for National Olympic Committee (NOC) relations Pere Miro has given the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) a stamp of approval.

“You can tell our friends in the Philippines that POC is now on the right track,” said Miro, quoted by newly elected POC board member Mark Joseph.

Miro made the statement during the second IOC Workshop on NOC autonomy during the secretaries general meeting of the Olympic Council of Asia in Bali about a month ago.

Joseph, who attended the meeting as the POC deputy secretary-general, said Miro’s words were like music to his ears.

“Autonomy is so important and because of what Mr. (Jose) Cojuangco has done as POC president, we are so on track as Mr. Miro mentioned,” said Joseph. “The autonomy and good governance talk is so hot in Olympic circles. I’m proud to say that the Philippines is leading the charge.”

Joseph said the only way that autonomy may be preserved and NOCs, like the POC, are able to resist pressures, including political, legal, religious and economic is through good governance.

Joseph said with Cojuangco’s track record in his first term as president, he’s confident the trend will continue in his second tour of duty. Cojuangco was recently reelected on a 21-19 vote over Art Macapagal.

“Mr. Cojuangco puts in almost eight hours a day, sometimes more, doing his job in the POC,” Joseph pointed out. “Because the POC is run well, we can be autonomous and enjoy harmonious relationships with sports stakeholders here and abroad. He has put the basics of good governance in support of sports autonomy in place in the POC. He always reminds us that the reason we should do our job in the POC well is because the country needs us to.”

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Joseph went on to enumerate what has been done in the POC the last four years to set the stage for more meaningful reforms in Cojuangco’s second term.

1. The POC approved amendments in its constitution and by-laws to comply with IOC standards. The POC was one of the last six NOCs in the world to amend their charters. The implications include the empowerment of athletes who will now be represented in the POC, the establishment of a medical code and the access to a system for relief in case of disputes.

2. The POC was finally recognized as a juridical person with its registration as a non-stock, non-profit organization. This has made it easier for stakeholders - sponsors, government and athletes - to deal with the POC.

3. The POC promulgated a code of ethics. Recent decisions made by the Ethics Committee include the removal of an NSA secretary-general for financial improprieties involving a P5 Million outlay from the PSC and the reprimand of an NSA president for misappropriating funds from an IOC grant.

4. The POC held orderly elections that were close but whose outcome was not questioned. The Comelec, chaired by former Rep. Concoy Chavez, did an excellent job in supervising the polls.

5. The POC strengthened its relationship with the PSC and other government bodies, such as the DILG for the Olympic Festival. “If I’m not mistaken, it was only in the last four years that both the PSC and POC officers sat down for dialogues with clear talking points and outcomes,” said Joseph. “This has resulted in less duplication of effort, competition for credit, finger pointing and basically we’ve all experienced a quantum leap in trust between the POC and the government.”

6. The POC tightened its belt and became more efficient in managing funds. In 2006, the POC received an Olympasia grant to move into a new office. Before the transfer, the POC rented space at a budget of nearly P1 Million a year. “Few people realize that over the last four years, the POC was audited regularly by SGV,” Joseph noted. “In the past, the POC’s external audit firms were replaced whenever they came out with adverse findings. The POC’s financial processes and procedures were streamlined by Mr. Cojuangco, secretary-general Steve Hontiveros and treasurer Julian Camacho.”

7. The POC formulated a strategic plan with all NSAs participating in a seminar conducted by Dr. Chippy Espiritu, an expert in corporate planning, finance and change management. “This has helped NSAs define their strengths and weaknesses and forced everyone to think long-term instead of the usual ‘isang kahig, isang tuka mula sa PSC’ mentality,” said Joseph.

Clearly, the conclusion is things are looking up for Philippine sports.