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Philippines, 20 Apr 2024 |
Home >> News >> Columns >> Alex A. Paglumotan, GAB Commissioner |  |
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SAVING WILLIAM MAGAHIN; GAB'S REJOINDER PhilBoxing.com Fri, 09 Jun 2006 My recent trip to Iloilo City last May 26 was a modest success for the creation of the sub-regional office of the Games and Amusements Board in the area covering the entire Iloilo province with the solid support of Governor Neil Tupas and Board Member Angelo Briones. The proposal to jointly establish an office that would cater to the need of the professional sporting communities in their poltical jurisdiction is a done deal. Chairman Eric R.Buhain is very much appreciative of this joint program with the unequivocal support coming from an active LGU. "We really need this kind of endeavour that will surely address both the interest of the government and our upcoming world class pro athletes," Buhain stressed. Aside from this project, I was surprised to learn of another exciting development. In Iloilo City I met up with former WBF champ William Magahin. He was introduced to me by a good media colleague Alex P.Vidal who is Editor-in-Chief of our local daily, The Daily Informer. Magahin was an adopted son of Iloilo's active and dynamic boxing promoter before, I was told. He related to me his story from his younger days, up to his glorious boxing career and the time he made that "big bang" before a mammoth crowd in the Iloilo stadium in 1995. Magahin confidently told me also about his fate in prison for some offenses he has made. The guy is so remorseful and really felt sorry for all his follies. I told him its not over until it's over, and that he still has plenty of time in this world to regain his good image and career. He is only 33 and I believe he can do it again.And I even welcomed him again to the fold of the Games and Amusements Board and to the real society. Yes! There is always room for people like the former great boxer William Magahin. With determination and hard work maybe he can be in the boxing ring again in due time. Or if not, he can be a good potential trainer and coach to the quality fighters to be trained by the GAB in ILoilo City and its local government. Magahin in a nut shell is not a lost case. He can be transformed as he is willing to, and become an energetic figure and to be the example to the younger generations of Iloilo fighters.Indeed, he was Iloilo's boxing hero before.He can be a hero once more ! Upon learning of his plight, the GAB Board had approved a financial assistance to William Magahin from the Boxer's Welfare kitty in the amount of ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00), the very maximum amount we can give to a professional boxer as a gesture of help and concern.And I also reminded him , that during the 1st GAB Philippine Boxing Convention at the Hotel Hyatt and Casino Manila last April 19-22,2006 he was included among the lists of 33 past and present Filipino boxing world champions who were awarded by this country through the GAB in recognition of their exemplary achievements for giving this nation fame and glory. We will be giving this top guy another chance. Remember, it aint over until its over. GAB'S REJOINDER Let me respond to the constructive points raised by our colleagues from this website. I would like to assume also that these were made to somehow contribute for the good of this agency. No matter how strong the policy statement of Chairman Eric R. Buhain is in this GAB Board , however ,we are only human beings and always subject to some oversights. This representation would like to acknowledge the May 20,2006 and June 08,2006 articles of our good friends from the Philboxing.com. Alex Vidal's article pointed out that "the GAB has successfully managed the agency's staging of the 1st Philippine Boxing Convention and having awarded 33 past and present Philippine world boxing champions, but we missed that important thing also to recognize the boxing coaches and trainers who are considered the producers of Filipino world champions"... I agree.It is of no argument that the idea is to encourage the GAB to take a second look on this. And our response to that is, definitely they will be recognized and included in the next scheduled GAB boxing convention in the Philippines.The recent successful and historic event that took place at the Hotel Hyatt and Casino Manila being pioneered for the first time by this Board under the Buhain administration is looking at anybody in boxing as co-partners in building up Filipino global champions. But so far , for the last fifty five (55) long years since the existence of this agency, we did it remarkably to come-up with a "world class convention" in the words of Mick Croucher, the World Boxing Foundation President based in Melbourne ,Australia. I hope this answers Alex Vidal's points. This idealist journalist and editor from Iloilo City is working so hard in helping this writer to establish a joint programmed GAB sub-regional office in the Iloilo province through the support of Governor Neil Tupas and Board Member Angelo Briones. In our desire to be of better service to our constituencies in the community of professional sports, and within the umbrella of our obligations, we welcome suggestions and comments from all those involved. We believe in the foundation of "free market of ideas" and of course that fact that no one is perfect,let us work together for the good of this agency in fullfillment of our big responsibility to our people and to this nation. Click here for a complete listing of columns by this author. Click here for a complete listing of this author's articles from different news sources. |
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