MANILA, 1 February — Fresh blood, new ideas and, hopefully, a brighter future for Philippine sports.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has appointed Eric Buhain, perhaps the best swimmer the country has ever produced, as the new chairman of the controversy-rocked Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
The 32-year-old former multititled national athlete became the youngest ever to head the government sports agency as he replaced Carlos Tuason whose reign as the agency’s longest-serving chief was marked by controversies and internal bickerings that felled him in the end.
Likewise, Buhain became the sixth chairman of the PSC since its establishment in 1990 after Cecil Hechanova, Aparicio Mequi, Mel Lopez, Philip Ella Juico and Tuason.
PSC is the country’s sports policy-making and funding body that has long been short on funds but, ironically, filthy rich on anomalies, internal bickerings and, yes, graft and corruption.
Meanwhile, word hangs on as to who will be the three commissioners who would replace Ricardo Garcia, Amparo Lim and William Ramirez.
Ramirez has resigned, but Lim and Garcia are keeping fort, saying they would only resign if told so by Malacanang. Commissioner Cynthia Carrion, a close aide of the President and her only appointee among the commissioners, is believed to be keeping her post.
"For sure, the job at the PSC will be tough," said Buhain who will be bringing in the exuberance of the youth to the agency. "Unlike before, this will not be for personal gain or honor but for the country’s glory." Buhain has brought honor to the Philippines for winning medals after medals in various international swimming competitions, particularly in the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG).
The Cavite-born Buhain owns 15 gold medals from the SEA Games, where he was adjudged Best Male Athlete in 1989 and 1991, when the Games were last held in Manila. He was the first and only back-to-back winner of the Most Outstanding Male Athlete award handed out by Coca Cola in SEA Games competitions in those years. A Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardee in 1991, Buhain also became a member of the US NCAA All America team in that same year.
He graduated cum laude at La Salle-Philadelphia in 1991 with a degree in finance and is married to Batangas Rep. Eileen Ermita, daughter of Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and former Gen. Eduardo Ermita.
But it was Buhain’s role during the 1993 athletes’ revolt that showed his leadership ability when he led the country’s top athletes’ march to Malacanang and demanded a revamp of the PSC.
It was the first time a PSC chairman and commissioners were sacked after former President Fidel Ramos gave in to athletes’ demands and booted out Mequi, Ray Roquero and Jun Castro.
Prior to his appointment, Buhain served as the national training director for the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA). He also put up a swimming school after he retired from the pool 10 years ago.
Foremost in his agenda is "to bring back the glory days of Philippine sports" while at the same time address the athletes’ plight and ensure that their basic needs are met, like food, clothing, equipment, shelter and accommodation.
"They (athletes) can be assured that I will not only be their chairman but also a co-athlete," he said.
He, however, said that addressing the grievances of the athletes will not be that simple considering that some complaints are general in nature. Buhain hopes to create unity and harmony in sports. He has already initiated talks with heads of the two opposing athletes and coaches’ groups so as to end, once and for all, the bickerings and squabbles that have been creating divisiveness in Philippine sports.
"One of my first priorities as PSC chairman is to unify the athletes," said Buhain.
He said that preparations for the Asian Games in Pusan, South Korea, in September will be his immediate priority as well as the 2003 SEA Games in Vietnam. He is also looking forward to stepping up the country’s bid to host the 2005 SEA Games.
"That is my immediate aim," said Buhain. "We will have to prepare hard for it. My long-term goal is to achieve an organizational and athletic success in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games."
Buhain said he wants only "deserving athletes" to make it to the Philippine team to Pusan.
"I’m leaning toward a team that’s deserving to go," he said. "The team has to be named as soon as possible and those athletes have to be trained at the same time those who will not make it will continue to train for the 2003 SEA Games."
After the athletes, Buhain intends to establish a harmonious relationship with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the 40 or so national sports associations under its wings.
He expressed optimism his administration would be in good terms with the POC and the NSAs, which have been dependent on the cash-strapped government agency for financial assistance.
"The PSC’s relationship with the POC will be great," he said, adding he could get pointers from POC president Celso Dayrit in dealing with the NSAs. "I know Mr. Dayrit is a great guy. I’m sure he will help me, specially in NSA affairs, in the same way that I will help him."
Dayrit, for his part, welcomed Buhain’s appointment, saying: "We welcome the appointment of Mr. Eric Buhain into the Philippine Sports Commission. He’s a multi-titled athlete and surely understands the needs of his fellow athletes. His experience as a sports official, having turned to coaching after his retirement and, as of late, being the head of a local swimming training program, would serve him well in his new position.
"We at the POC look forward to a healthy working relationship with Mr. Buhain as we prepare for our participation in the Pusan Asian Games."
Buhain intends to stress before the NSAs that the PSC’s role is to "subsidize" their training needs.
"The operative word here is subsidy. We’re (PSC) not mandated by law to fund. We’ll only subsidize them, but we’re willing to help them raise the rest. I think the NSA presidents are responsible enough to understand and raise their own funds. We’ll provide them financial assistance but not 100 percent," he said.
"Funding is a problem but let’s not sit and wait for the funding. I, as chairman, will not be embarrassed to ask money from multinational corporations or foundations if it’s for the athletes," he said.
He would require the NSAs to submit their programs for the year, ask them to explain in detail these programs, and "the commission will then decide how much they would get and for what particular event." Buhain would likewise appeal to the NSAs to shield the athletes from politics and allow them to train non-stop, primarily for the coming Pusan Games, and eventually for the Vietnam SEA Games.
Buhain will also look at the PSC’s financial strength, programs of the NSAs and other priorities, including his plan to call all athletes back to their training venues and remove the line dividing athletes allied with anti-Tuason forces — the Athletes and Coaches Alliance of the Philippines (ACAP) — and the majority Philippine Amateur Athletes Federation Inc. (Paafi).
