Setting priorities in Philippine Olympics Committee

Since taking over as POC president in January 2005, former Tarlac Congressman Jose (Peping) Cojuangco, Jr. ruled for three consecutive terms. It seemed like he would reign forever. The late Art Macapagal challenged Cojuangco in 2008 but lost by a slim margin, 21-19. A source said Cojuangco figured he would once again pick up 21 votes in battling Ricky Vargas in the court-ordered re-election last Friday but fell short by six and was dethroned in his bid for a fourth term.

It won’t be easy setting the stage for Vargas’ administration after 13 years of Cojuangco’s entrenched system of leadership. Cojuangco had his own way of settling or prolonging disputes at the NSA level. Whether that was good or bad for the POC is subject to debate. But for sure, Cojuangco’s political savvy was in a class by itself. He knew when to push the right buttons and when not to. But at 83, Cojuangco’s time had run out. Vargas offered a fresh face, a democratic approach and a sincere heart for the athletes. Besides, there was dwindling hope for the Philippines to re-emerge as a Southeast Asian sports power, much less an Asian power, with a disastrous record of performance over the last several years. Politics and corruption stunted the growth of Philippines sports and someone had to pay the price in turning the tide.

For Vargas, it’s a case of first things first. He wanted to make an immediate impact as newly-elected POC president by announcing that change and reforms are coming. That was important to harness the support of the private and public sectors. The response was overwhelming. Vargas’ No. 1 ally PLDT CEO Manny V. Pangilinan was naturally the first to step up, pledging P20 Million as seed capital to put the POC back on track in its mission to resurrect Philippine sports out of the doldrums. Then came a slew of more pledges of support from the San Miguel group, the Ayala group, the Lamoiyan group, the Phoenix Petroleum group and influential lawmakers. 

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Next, Vargas created a transition team to get the train rolling. That meant sitting down with officers from Cojuangco’s administration. Another critical step was meeting with PSC chairman Butch Ramirez with whom Vargas has enjoyed a close relationship for years. They’ll be working together not only as professionals but also as friends. Their working relationship must be defined clearly from the onset to avoid misunderstandings along the way. The keys are close coordination and constant communication. Lines must be open to link Ramirez and Vargas at all hours. The PSC and POC need each other to work efficiently in upgrading the standards of Philippine sports.

One priority that Vargas must set is to conduct an immediate audit of three areas – finance, organization (with the view of standardizing the Constitution and By-Laws of every NSA to conform to the Olympic charter) and management. What’s Vargas inheriting from the treasury? What’s in the coffers? What are the POC’s revenue streams and how have funds been disbursed? It’s incumbent on the new administration to submit a financial report to the General Assembly periodically in the interest of transparency. Every centavo must be accounted for and no one in the POC hierarchy must be allowed to dip his or her fingers in the cookie jar for a personal interest. Vargas may even take it a step further and submit the POC financial report to the public through media. 

Standardizing the Constitution and By-Laws is important because the rules define the parameters of every NSA election. The SBP model should be the standard because it threw out the decrepit system of preserving an Old Boys Club in the previous BAP. Philta is an example of an NSA still in the dark ages and should be prompted to undergo serious amendments in its Constitution and By-Laws.

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Another priority is to resolve leadership disputes in the NSAs.  Part of the solution is tied in with the standardization of the Constitution and By-Laws. This will involve calling the concerned parties to a conciliatory meeting in Vargas’ presence and setting a deadline to repair the damage. Still another priority is to check when to submit the final list of athletes for the coming Asian Games. With Julian Camacho’s resignation as chef de mission, Vargas has to designate someone to take over or retain the wushu president in the position. Camacho must brief Vargas on the pending issues so he’s brought up to speed. Reviewing the standards of whom to send to Jakarta must be done immediately with the PSC and NSAs then based on the agreed norms, determine who are qualified using the “best talent” approach. 

Finally, Vargas must set a timetable of activities leading to the country hosting the Southeast Asian Games next year. Will Rep. Monsour del Rosario remain the chef de mission? What are the sports in the calendar? What venues must be mobilized to stage the sports? What athletes must be prepared to be competitive in those sports? Beyond the immediate priorities, Vargas should look into the establishment of the National Training Center.

The plate in front of Vargas is quickly filling up. Work has started for Vargas even before he takes his oath as new POC president. The orientation will be fast because there is little time to tarry. Vargas’ experience as a corporate executive and management whiz will come in handy in getting the job done.