Zamboanga Peninsula joins Philippine aquatics body

MANILA, Philippines – The Congress of Philippine Aquatics, Inc. (COPA) membership continue to flourish after swimming clubs in Region 9 came together and united to form the Zamboanga Peninsula Aquatics Sports Association.

COPA co-founder Chito Rivera along with coach Anthony Reyes led the intimate meeting with representatives of swimming clubs in the so-called administrative region (formerly Western Mindanao), which includes Zamboanga City, Dipolog City, Sandagan, Pagadian and Zamboanga Sur.

Gib Sing Wong was elected president of ZPASA along with the following other officers: Ting Mansul (vice president), Aniceto Villegas, Jr., (Secretary), Jesus Duque II (Treasurer), Ramil Andangan (Auditor), John Abdul (PIO) are part of the Board, as well as representatives Vina Baez (Dapitan), Vince Villanueva (Zamboanga), Ruel Sumbanan (Dipolog), Dionisio Bayawa (Sandangan), Jiemark Emol (Pagadian) and Vincent Abrenica (Zamboanga Sur).

"Our mission in COPA is to unite all swimming clubs nationwide. It is difficult to push your sports development program especially at the grassroots if the swimming organizations are scattered in the regions. Now, we're proud to say that COPA is now represented by all regional swimming associations," said Rivera, also the tournament director of the COPA tournament in NCR.

"What we are doing is also a result of the efforts of our COPA president and Batangas First District Congressman Eric Buhain to organize swimming clubs in all regions and cities in the country,” he said.