TODAY'S ABAP ELECTION: MANNY P TO REPLACE MANNY L?
By Manny Piñol
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 29 Oct 2008
Manny Pangilinan.
It looks like the overstaying president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP), Manny Lopez, may be giving way to a new face after all.
But with defacto ABAP Region XI Chairman Tonyboy Floirendo, who earlier expressed interest for the ABAP presidency, effectively disqualified from vying for the position with the refusal of ABAP to acknowledge his election three years ago, it also looks like whoever will take over the amateur boxing leadership will be somebody endorsed by Manny Lopez and his group.
That means Lopez and the Fortaleza cabal will remain as fixtures in amateur boxing and we will continue to be listening to their litany of excuses after every failed international competition.
It is certain that Lopez will stay with ABAP in an official capacity because, according to columnist Quinito Henson, he is a candidate for a position in the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) which means that he should occupy the position of either ABAP Vice President or Secretary General.
That's sad.
But if there is any consolation, there are indications that the group who will takeover the leadership of the ABAP would be that of PLDT-SMART top honcho and amateur boxing patron Manny V. Pangilinan.
It could be Manny Pangilinan himself or his trusted lieutenants who will run the ABAP after all.
And while the presence of Lopez and his group would not be the most ideal set up, it could be an acceptable option for the other amateur boxing leaders who desire for changes in the leadership, vision and set up of the amateur boxing program of the Philippines.
Should this happen, there are just a few things that Manny Pangilinan and his group should immediately implement.
These include the immediate simultaneous implementation of a national talent search program that would start with municipal, provincial, regional and national competitions, and a trainers' training program to sustain the talent production.
Close working relationships must be established with the 14 Regional Development Councils all over the country which would b to e tasked to identify amateur boxing as a priority sports program of the RDC with the aim of producing the first Olympic gold in the 2012 Games and the succeeding Games thereafter.
And most of all, the new ABAP leadership must be inclusive and must reach out to all other amateur boxing supporters all over the country because no amount of money poured into the program would yield positive results if the extent of the selection process for future Olympians would be limited to just a few areas where most of the current ABAP leaders come from.
The greatest mistake that Manny Lopez and his group would commit in the elections [today] is to hang on to their posts and just use the involvement and commitment of support of Manny Pangilinan as an excuse for them to be given a fresh mandate.
That would certainly mean the disintegration of amateur boxing in the country with the likes of Tony Aldeguer, Tonyboy Floirendo and myself in North Cotabato distancing ourselves from the ABAP. That could also open the possibility of a new group being organized.
If that happens, the dream of winning the first Olympic gold through amateur boxing would remain just that -- a dream.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Manny Piñol.
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