Tolentino reelected Philippine Olympic chief

MANILA, Philippines -- Abraham Tolentino received a fresh mandate as Philippine Olympic Committee president after besting Chito Loyzaga of baseball in elections done at the East Ocean Palace in Parañaque Friday.

The PhilCycling chief and Tagaytay City mayor won convincingly after getting 45 votes against Loyzaga’s 15 with one abstention among 61 voters that included athletes commission members, Olympic boxing medalist Nesthy Petecio and Olympian pole-vaulter EJ Obiena.

It will be the third tour of duty for Tolentino as chief of the country’s highest Olympic body after serving as one from 2019 to 2020 when he took over the unfinished term of Ricky Vargas following a special election, and from 2021 to 2024 when he won the regular polling.

Tolentino will also serve a new four-year term under the new constitution and by-laws by the POC.

“The general assembly has spoken,” said Tolentino, who shook hands and hugged Loyzaga after the quick counting of votes in the election that was handled by a three-member electoral panel chaired by lawyer Teodoro Kalaw IV.

“I think the performance speaks for itself,” he added.

Tolentino said he ran not for the position but to continue the gains that the country achieved during his term when the proud, sports-loving nation captured a historic Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021 courtesy of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and two more mints in Paris just last August thanks to gymnast Carlos Yulo.

“Hindi para sakin o para sa POC ito, ito'y para sa bayan, para sa atleta, that’s it,” said Tolentino. “We will continue what we’ve started. The platform is to sustain, this is more for athletes and athletes and athletes.”

Tolentino’s victory was the icing on the cake as his partymates all won, with basketball’s Al Panlilio and surfing’s Jose Raul Canlas seizing the posts of first vice president and treasurer, respectively, unopposed.

Also elected into the POC were Richard Gomez (second vice president), Don Caringal (auditor) and wrestling’s Alvin Aguilar, jiu-jitsu’s Ferdie Agustin, canoe-kayak’s Len Escollante, fencing’s Leah Gonzales, and judo’s Ali Sulit as executive board members.