PLAN LACKS RESEARCH

Cojuangco backpedals on dragon boat junking

By Julius Manicad

03/20/2009

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) executive council withheld plans to downgrade the membership status of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF), saving itself from what could have been another confrontation with its the members.

Admitting that the proposal lacked sufficient research, POC president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco yesterday said they will look into the situation of PDBF’s international federation before deciding to retain its regular membership status or relegate it as a mere associate member without any voting power.

Cojuangco has tapped POC second vice president Mario Tanchangco and Salvador Andrada to spearhead the study before deciding on the fate of PDBF.

Tanchangco and Andrada would report their findings in the next POC executive council meeting before the powerful committee comes up with a resolution. The decision, however, would be discussed before the general assembly to ensure that there would be no objection.

“We created a committee that would look into the (international) situation,” Cojuangco said. “Mario and Buddy would make a report in the next executive committee meeting before we could decide what to do with it (dragon boat).”

Previous reports have it that the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF) was already put under the sanction of the International Canoe Federation (ICF), prompting the POC to plan stripping PDBF of its regular membership status and merge it with the Philippine Canoe-Kayak Federation (PCKF).

An outspoken member of the powerful executive council revealed that the announcement would be made during the POC general assembly on March 26 based on Article 6 Section 7 of the POC constitution, stating that only those national sports associations affiliated with an international body would be given regular membership by the POC.

But details of the plan have leaked, triggering an all-out protest from other POC members, who warned to raise an objection that would deeply divide the 40-man POC general assembly.

PDBF is closely associated with the group of shooting chief Arturo Macapagal while PCKF president Sim Chi Tat is believed to be an ardent supporter of Go Teng Kok, the special assistant of the POC chief.

Cojuangco, however, guaranteed their decision would be acceptable to everyone.

“That’s why we decided to defer the move until we make our own research,” he said. “We may have difference in opinion, but if we’ll do it carefully, I’m sure hindi na tayo magkakaroon ng problema.”

“For sure, we’ll try to come up with a sound decision acceptable to everyone.”

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