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TO APPOINT EXECS TOMORROW

POC in full blast for Laos campaign

By Julius Manicad

01/13/2009

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) yesterday set its Southeast Asian Games campaign in motion as it is poised to appoint former Philippine Sports Commissioner Ritchie Garcia, Mario Tanchangco and Sim Chi Tat to sensitive positions for the Laos bid in December.

POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco is expected to announce the appointments tomorrow.

Garcia, a two-time sports commissioner, will serve as chairman of the Philippine Olympic Festival, a crucial position which was last held by former POC chairman Robert Aventajado.

Tanchancgo, the newly-elected POC first vice-president, will be named as chief of mission to the 2009 SEA Games while Sim of canoe-kayak will be designated as POC deputy treasurer, replacing Peter Gaisano, who already gave up his representation in the Olympic body to soft tennis president Jeffrey Tamayo.

The appointment was finalized during a lenghty meeting yesterday, but will be formalized when the POC executive council convenes tomorrow.

The designation, however, is expected to raise a string of controversy as both Tanchangco and Sim were said to have worked hard to ensure the victory of Cojuangco over shooting chief Art Macapagal in the recent POC elections. Tanchangco, in fact, was even seriously wooed by Macapagal supporters, who thought he would be the key to their victory.

Garcia, meanwhile, is believed to have supported Cojuangco’s projects while he was still in the P400-million-a-year sports agency.

Go claimed he was the brain behind the appointments, but reasoned that the decision is based on their ability to work with the POC leadership and not on their political affiliation or loyalty to Cojuangco.

He said Tanchangco should have been appointed as chief of mission to the 2006 Doha Asian Games, but Cojuangco shot it down, tapping Ramirez, instead. Tanchancgo, who is often cited for his contribution to the POC and the POF, was relegated to a deputy status in the Asian Games task force.

“He’s a workhorse, he really deserves it,” Go said, referring to the sepak takraw chief. “We based it not on their loyalty, but on their willingness to work. The appointment will be made official on Wednesday, but it’s almost a done deal.”

“As for Ritchie, he is very deserving to lead the POC since he has been with the PSC for quite long. With him around, dealing with the local government units and possible sponsors (for the POF) will no longer be a problem.”