Juico: Pandemic altering sporting landscape

MANILA, Philippines — Athletics chief Dr. Philip Ella Juico sees a silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic, correlating the virus to a connective tissue that binds people together, both across and within societies and all sectors. Including sports.

“Sports have changed because of this coronavirus. Now we have to set the paradigm. We have to think differently today,” said Juico, also the chairman of Philippine Superliga, one of the country’s two premier volleyball leagues now in the midst of talks of a long sought after unification.

He and Ricky Palou, president of Sports Vision, which organizes the Premier Volleyball League, and some well-meaning associates have actually worked towards a common goal of unification as early as late last year.

“We talked at least three times and it (meeting) was all cordial,” said the former Agrarian Reform Secretary and Philippine Sports Commission chair. “The initiative I had with Ricky was borne out of the idea to come up with the Unity Cup.”