BOXING icon Manny Pacquiao has been nominated for a seat in the board of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines, Inc. that will hold its first general assembly and elections tomorrow at the Quezon City Sports Club.
Pacquioa, recently re-elected as Saranggani?s representative to Congress, has accepted his nomination, according to an ABAP statement, and is expected to be elected to the board as representative of Region XII.
Also nominated for board seats are current ABAP chairman Manny V. Pangilinan and current president Ricky Vargas representing the private sector, Cagayan de Oro Mayor-elect Oscar Moreno (Region X), House Deputy Speaker Raul Daza (Region VIII), Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. (Region III), Tayabas Vice Mayor Venerando Rea (Region IV-A), and Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn (Region IV-B). The Armed Forces of the Philippines also has a seat in the board.
The board members will elect among themselves the officers of the association. The positions of secretary-general and executive director are appointive.
Formerly known as the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, the association has changed its name as mandated by the International Boxing Association, which has dropped the word? amateur? in all organizations under its wings.
The new ABAP, registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, has been officially recognized by AIBA, the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission.
Pangilinan and Vargas have been at the helm of the association for the past four years, with various companies under the MVP Group bankrolling the exposure of boxers in local and international tournaments, aside from providing incentives and benefits to boxers and coaches.
Vargas said the association has identified 31 voting chapters from all over the country. These are mostly Local Government Units that have boxing programs and have been participating in the association?s tournaments. Regular tournaments are being held in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao, culminating with the national championships in search of potential members for the national training pool.
?If we are to continue our involvement in boxing, we need to make sure the stakeholders themselves want us there. And the best way to determine that is to go through the election process. We want our leadership validated,? said Vargas.
The POC has designated secretary-general Steve Hontiveros as observer during the elections.
