Tonyboy Takes Up Challenge; But Can He Run?
By Manny Piñol
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 24 Oct 2008
Davao City - Former Congressman Antonio "Tonyboy" Floirendo, scion of banana magnate Don Antonio Floirendo, has accepted the challenge of vying for the presidency of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines when the elections would be held Oct. 29.
But this early, the issue of whether he is qualified to run, or if he would even be allowed to vie for the presidency, remains a very big question.
The reason? While Tonyboy was elected regional chairman of the ABAP Region XI three years ago, the ABAP National Office has not acknowledged his election or recognized him as the regional chairman which would be one of the requirements for him to vie for the ABAP presidency.
Generose Ferrazini, executive assistant of Tonyboy Floirendo who supervises the amateur boxing program of Davao del Norte and Panabo City, said yesterday that she submitted the results of the regional election to the ABAP National Office three years ago but no acknowledgment or recognition has been made of Tonyboy's regional chairmanship.
"I have followed this up for the last three years but they have not acted on it," Generose told me by phone yesterday.
The statement made by a top ABAP official that Floirendo is not the recognized ABAP Regional Chairman was an indication that in spite of the Beijing debacle (and the many other failures before that) ABAP President Manny Lopez is not about to let go of the national boxing body.
"That's strange," said Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Butch Ramirez when I talked to him yesterday.
"When we were in Beijing, Manny told us that he will give up the ABAP Presidency either to Bidoy (Antonio L. Aldeguer) or Ramon Ang (of San Miguel Corp.) and the FG (First Gentleman Mike Arroyo) is even aware of that," said Ramirez.
Now, Ramirez said, it looks like Manny Lopez will attempt to hang on to the ABAP Presidency.
And with the strategies that they are employing right now -- scheduling an election so soon even before the regional ABAP chairmanship issues are settled and preventing well-meaning people to participate -- it looks like Manny Lopez and the ABAP cabal may be able to hold on to their posts.
With this abrupt schedule, Manny Pacquiao's entry into the ABAP is definitely out of the picture because he would have to be elected first as regional chairman before he would qualify.
Is this fair for the Filipino people who have been dreaming of the country's first Olympic gold through boxing? Of course, the answer is NO. Thirty years of fruitless efforts should be enough.
Tonyboy is a gem that amateur boxing must not let go of. In the few years that he was involved directly with the amateur boxing program of Davao del Norte and Panabo City, boxers from the area have dominated national competitions.
Aside from the interest and love that he has for the sport, Tonyboy has the personal resources to finance an ambitious amateur boxing development program that would certainly propel the sport to new heights.
"If I am given the opportunity, I will develop amateur boxing without begging for money from government," Tonyboy told me yesterday when he confirmed that he was interested in the presidency of the ABAP.
Of course, there is no assurance that with Tonyboy at the helm of the ABAP we will be able to produce the gold in the London Olympics of 2012. But if we are to look at how he transformed the ragtag boxing team of Davao del Norte into the national champions over the last few years, the possibility that he will be able to achieve the dreamed Olympic gold is great.
Besides, knowing Tonyboy, he will not wait for people to clamor for his resignation should he fail.
Tonyboy Floirendo is a self-respecting and decent man who will willingly give up the ABAP presidency should he, after a reasonable effort, fail to give the country its dreamed first Olympic gold.
That is something that I wish Manny Lopez would realize and strive to be.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Manny Piñol.
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