TATAP starts anew, eyes solid year

MANILA, Philippines –The Table Tennis Association of the Philippines (TATAP), headed by President Ting Ledesma, made a successful “house cleaning” last year to start a promising 2013 that will eventually bring back the country’s glorious days in the international table tennis scene.

Ledesma, a former national athlete who played for the 2011 Indonesia Southeast Asian Games, became president last year through a general assembly called by regional members in April to replace acting president and board member Arnel Berroya.

Ledesma’s first act as president was settled the association’s past administration’s obligation to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) during the 2010 Moscow World Championship worth $3, 687.

He also paid TATAP's four-year annual fee obligation with the Asian Table Tennis Union amounting to $800 US dollars through the help of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), headed by President Jose Cojuangco.

“I really wanted to give this association a brand new start for the sake of all ping-pong players and to our national team,” said Ledesma, who immediately earned recognition from the ITTF, POC and the Philippines Sports Commission.

Ledesma along with fellow board member and Secretary-general Annie Andanar have tapped new national coaches Lauro Crisostomo, Noel Gonzales, Floyd Lobaton, Lorie Wadjad and Johan Remaneses to train the Philippine team.

“There will be series of tryouts for athletes who want to become part of the Philippines,” said Ledesma. “It is also a preparation for the Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar late this year.”

Besides the distribution of rubbers and racquet woods to and free clinic to different provinces, TATAP also held the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao national open to select 10 junior cadet players who will be sent abroad for training.

TATAP also hosted different umpire seminars in various places like last May’s Philippine National Games in Dumaguete City and Cavite, among other places.

Besides Ledesma, Berroya (vice-president) and Andanar, other board of trustee members are Maria Teresa Deniega (treasurer), Nico Cawed (auditor) and Atty. Domingo Panlilio (chairman).