Cebu PBOC Boxing Officials Held Positive Meeting at GAB
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 24 Jul 2018
CEBU, Philippines -- Unity among boxing ring officials, lively discussions and brotherhood were in the spirit of the most recent Professional Boxing Officials of Cebu (PBOC) meeting held Saturday at the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) Cebu Office.
It was a positive and fruitful reunion in which important issues regarding the betterment of boxing in Cebu were discussed, and recommendations formulated.
The important gathering was held in association with GAB Cebu Extension Office Head Ms. Arlene M. Olondriz and moderated by PBOC President International Judge Edward Ligas who counted with the assistance his PBOC Secretary General Referee Nicholas "Nic" Banal.
Before the talks began, a solemn prayer asking Our Lord Jesus for blessings and guidance was lead by Boxing Judge Neil Papas of San Fernando, Cebu.
For Ring Announcer John Magat - a popular radio celebrity here in Cebu - the important points discussed in the meeting included the addressing the "long overdue adjustment of fees for professional ring officials (more than 10 years same fees), the improvement of out-of-town accommodations for ring officials and GAB personnel, the assignment of fixed ring doctor and ring announcer seating stations during events, as well as the addressing the issue of the upcoming PBOC elections."
In attendance were Ring Announcers John Magat and Sandi Geronimo Grumo; Ring Referees Romar Kristoffer Embodo and Nicholas "Nic" Banal; Ring Doctors Dr. Rene Bonsubre Jr. and Dr. Jose Unabia; International Boxing Judges Arnie Cres Najera and Edward Ligas; and Cebu boxing Judges Edwin Barrientos, Neil Papas and Carlos Costa.
"We continue to serve with competence and professionalism with the promoters here in the Visayas," assured Edward Ligas.
"We are happy that we were united to advance the interest of our organization and reasonably ask the promoters and our Boxing Family to embrace the plight of the committed ring officials.
"There has really been a clamor among all boxing ring officials here in the Visayas for a reasonable increase in fees for all ring officials, including fees for Ring Physicians, Ring Announcers, Judges, Referees and Tme-keepers. The reason for that is because we, ring officials, are still receiving the existing rates since 2008.
"Therefore, we kindly appreciate if promoters here treat us ring officials with brotherly respect and appreciation for our work as we are all part of the same Family. We all belong a the Boxing Family. We are all Brothers and Sisters with one common purpose: the betterment of Boxing in the Visayas.
"That is why we humbly ask the promoters to really treat the ring officials fairly by providing decent accommodations. Because what happened recently in Tagbilaran was unacceptable," said PBOC President Edward Ligas.
In additional remarks, International Boxing Judge Arnie Najera commented:
"For me it is very important that transparency, competence, honesty, propriety, and solidarity among ring officials here in Central Visayas prevail at all times. To me, these issues are also main points in the agenda of the our meeting.
Arnie Najera continued:
"Also, one of the points in the agenda was supposedly to elect new sets of PBOC officials. However, we deemed it wise to first come up with the Constitution and By-Laws before taking on new elections. Atty. William Ma?us is the one in charged of coming up with that for our PBOC group.
"We plan to come up with a position paper where we will respectfully refer to GAB these proposed changes on officials' fees and other matters concerning ring officials and the smooth conduct of boxing events here in our area," concluded Najera.
Other points talked about during the interesting reunion where the schedule of coming fight cards here in the Visayas, the next card being a RWS Promotion to take place by the end of this month of July, as well as a planed Omega Boxing card coming up soon.
There was also a brief report on two very recent boxing events in Bohol, one in the Municipality of Alicia by promoted Edgar Ricafort of Jindomar Promotions, and the most recent in Tagbilaran by promoter former 2-division champion Gerry Penalosa; both cards a total success.
In conclusion, the discussions and talks during the PBOC were lively, serious, sincere, and with a healthy touch of good humor among the participants. The hours of talks at GAB went by fast. But the commitments and agreements for a better boxing in Cebu and the Visayas remain firm.
The author Carlos Costa, 57, is a Boxing Writer living in Cebu, Philippines. Carlos can be reached by email: Carlos512@hotmail.com and by Viber/Whatsapp: +639184538152.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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