RICKY VARGAS IS NEW ABAP PRESIDENT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 29 Oct 2008
Ricky Vargas.
There?s been an almost sweeping change in the leadership of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines with former PBA chairman Ricky Vargas who steered the pro league to new heights in a quiet but steady hand in a troubled time being acclaimed as president and PLDT-Smart owner Manny Pangilinan being chosen Chairman.
Outgoing ABAP president Manny Lopez will continue his involvement in the sport as vice president while Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez has been elected as a member of the board of trustees representing Region XI along with Pangilinan and Vargas representing the private sector stakeholders bringing the board representatives from the previous 17 to 20.
The new leadership will assume office on January 1, 2009. In a brief interview with Judith Karingal of Sports Radio aired on the popular NBN sports show hosted by Snow Badua, Vargas said "I am very humbled by being asked to serve in two organizations (including the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas where Pangilinan is president)."
Providing an glimpse of his desire to get cracking, Vargas said that while his terms begins next January "we will start working now." He also expressed his thanks to Manny Lopez saying he showed "the trait of a true leader by sacrificing and preparing for change which he has done very well."
Vargas said there is so much to be done and after a congress in December he would bring the board of trustees together in a planning session to "map out the plans upto 2012" which Pangilinan himself had earlier set as a target for the country?s first Olympic gold medal in boxing.
Lopez described the changes in the ABAP leadership as a "momentous day for Philippine sports, especially boxing, because there has been a transition of power effective January 1 and the leadership is going to be changed and I am quite certain that the incoming president and the chairman of the board will run the association and the whole boxing community will be proud of the assumption of the new officials."
In an earlier text message received by www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports, Pangilinan said "Do they really want us to help? Then let us serve." For his part Vargas said "boxing is a sport that is close to the Filipinos? heart. We have been asked to serve. Its an honor to serve."
Following substantial support for boxing and his continued desire to help the sport and to understand what needs to be done, Pangilinan along with Patrick "Pato" Gregorio and this reporter, visited the famed ALA Gym of respected boxing patron Tony Aldeguer who declined any position but offered his wholehearted support to Pangilinan in the effort to elevate the standard of amateur boxing in the country and to find the young talent that would help succeed in the quest for an elusive Olympic gold medal.
Pangilinan spent over one hour at the ALA Gym talking to Aldeguer, getting his insights and even talking to the boxers, inspecting the facilities which he described as "great."
Coming out of that visit Pangilinan said he planned on putting up a training center in Cebu and indicated he wanted Vargas to involve himself in amateur boxing because of his administrative acumen and the desire to ensure that any large investment in boxing will be judiciously and effectively handled.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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