SURPRISES are expected when the election of members of the board of trustees of the Philippine Swimming Inc. is held Thursday.
Officials of the Philippine Olympic Committee-designated electoral committee said this as the World Aquatics-ordered polls get going starting at 11 a.m. at the East Ocean Palace Restaurant in Parañaque City.
The new members of the board of trustees will come from 19 representatives of over 300 swimming clubs, which earlier participated in the National Congress held last May 25.
Back then, the clubs elected the 19 board representatives, with two-time Olympian and now Batangas congressman Eric Buhain, emerging as a duly-elected regional representative of Region IV-A and is tipped to be a top candidate for PSI presidency.
Others seeking posts are Cecile “Bing” Doromal (Region 4B); Bing Rosales (Region 5); Cris Bancal (Region 6); Jess Arriola (Region 7); Rex Dela Cruz (Region 8); Gib Sing Wong (Region 9); Leo Sanchez (BARMM); Angel Leonardo (Region 10); Jun Rodriguez (Region 11); Michael Talosig (Region 12); Willie Yu (CARAGA); Coach Emmanuel (CAR); Isagani Corpuz (Region 1); Elmer Corpuz (Region 2); Biboy Asturias (Region 3), Michael Vargas and Fred Galang Ancheta (National Capital Region) and Marie Dimanche (Sectoral Representative).
“It will be a surprise on who will be part of the board of trustees, as the nominees will elect among themselves,” said Atty. Wharton. Chan, who spoke on behalf of the electoral committee in an interview with the Manila Standard.
The committee is headed by POC secretary general Atty. Edwin Gastanes, with Atty. Avelino Sumagui and Atty. Marcus Antonius Andaya as the other members.
Chan explained that the geographical sectors will cover two each from the Area 1 (National Capital Region), Area 2 (Regions 1, 2, 3 and Cordillera Autonomous Region), Area 3 (Regions 4-A, 4-B and 5), Area 4 (Regions 6, 7 and 8) and Area 5 (Regions 9, 10, 11, 12, CARAGA Region and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao).
POC president Abraham Tolentino said they are keenly awaiting the outcome of the polls.
Once the polls are done, Tolentino said they will turn over the supervision of the 11th Asian Age Group Swimming Championships at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac this December to the proper authorities.
“Hanggang matapos ang issue ng PSI, the POC will be here to help handle the Asian Championships with the BCDA,” said Tolentino.
The polls are a result of the suspension of the PSI by the WA last February as it ordered the conduct of elections for the national federation’s board of directors through the POC.
Last December, the world governing body for swimming withdrew its recognition of the PSI, after the FINA scrapped from its list the members of the PSI’s board of trustees and officers.
The POC then created a stabilization committee that ran the association’s day-to-day operations, aside from amending its by-laws and conducting new elections.