MVP legacy: PH return to World Cup

MANILA, Philippines -- Manny V. Pangilinan’s term as president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has expired, and fresh faces are coming in to run the national cage federation early next year.

The SBP, under the leadership of Pangilinan for two four-year terms, has set a special general assembly to elect a new set of officers in January.

Ricky Vargas, Bernie Atienza, Pete Alfaro, Danny Soria, Fr. Paul de Vera, Nick Jorge and Raul Alcoseba are seven other SBP board members whose terms of office have expired. They will serve on holdover capacity until January.

Chairman Oscar Moreno, Jay Adalem, Robert Uy, Vivian Manila and Rey Gamboa, meanwhile, will serve until June.

By June, 13 new faces sit on the board with 12 holdovers that included PBA representatives Robert Non and Chito Salud, and PBA D-League’s Erick Arejola

From the new board of trustees will come the new SBP president.

“My term has expired February this year. We’re not able to call an election right away as we’re focused on two important events – the bidding for the 2019 FIBA World Cup and the FIBA Asia Championship,” said Pangilinan shortly after their board meeting at the PLDT office on Thursday.

“My term has expired and it signals change of leadership and membership of the board,” Pangilinan also said. “Perhaps, the new membership needs fresh blood for Philippine basketball.”

Under the SBP by-laws, Pangilinan is no longer qualified to run for another a third term.

But he stressed he’s not inclined to stay as “I don’t want to violate the rules that we have crafted.”

During Thursday’s meeting, Moreno raised a proposal to create the position “chairman emeritus” to be occupied by Pangilinan.

“He’s very reluctant. But for the sake of Philippine basketball, I hope Mr. Pangilinan accepts it,” said Moreno.

Vargas, the current vice chairman, said: “I’ll be joining MVP into oblivion.”

No doubt, Pangilinan and his group have done a great job.

“We’ve brought basketball back in the heart of the Filipinos. We’re back as a competitive team in regional basketball,” said Vargas in mentioning two of SBP’s biggest achievement.

Under the care of Pangilinan, the Philippines gained a return stint in the FIBA World Cup last year after a long, long absence from 1978.

In the recent Changsha meet, Gilas Pilipinas finished second to China and thus earned a berth in the Olympic world qualifier next year.

“The thing is that you won’t be able to please everybody,” said Vargas.