Ramirez endorses Fr. Uy to key PSC post

For the first time in 18 years, a Cebu-based sportsman will be holding an important position in the country’s top sports arm, the Philippine Sports Commission.

This as Rev. Fr. Vicente “Vic” L. Uy, SVD, the vice president for finance and athletic director of the University of San Carlos (USC), has been formally endorsed as executive director of the PSC.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has agreed in principle about the appointment when Fr. Uy and PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez visited her last week.

In a press conference yesterday at Hotel Fortuna, Ramirez said Arroyo had no objection about the matter and said she already informed Rep. Monico Puentevella, the committee chairman on youth and sports in the House of Representatives, about Fr. Uy’s appointment.

In a separate interview, Puentevella, the representative of Bacolod City’s lone district who once served as the longest Philippine Sports Commissioner, confirmed that Fr. Uy is being endorsed as executive director but not as commissioner because PGMA has not yet instructed them to replace the commissioners.

Right now, Cesar Pradas is acting as PSC executive director.

“It’s what the PSC needs right now, an executive director. So that’s what’s going to be Fr.Uy’s position. Within the week or next week, we will know the update. I’m going to send the papers to Malacañang Monday (today) and normally, appointment papers would have to wait for around two weeks for it to be signed by the President,” said Puentevella, who is now the first vice president of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Puentevella personally agreed to have Fr.Uy in the PSC as an agent of change. “PSC is lucky to have Fr.Uy around,” he said.

Although nothing is definite yet, Fr. Uy said he already asked permission from his superiors at SVD (Societas Verbi Divini or Society of the Divine Word)

regarding this development.

Should his appointment will be approved, Fr. Uy will have to take a leave for one year and serve the PSC.

“Tabang-tabang lang ko (PSC) kung naa koy matabang. Gitugutan man pud ko sa akong mga superiors mo work sa PSC for one year,” Fr. Uy said.

Even before PGMA could sign his appointment papers, Fr. Uy is already acting as assistant to the PSC Chairman, a key post that chairman Ramirez entrusts when he is not around including in his 15-day leave, his first in seven years of serving the PSC.

Fr. Uy, who hails from Tagbilaran City, is set to go to Guangzhou, China and California, USA to check on the national athletes’ training.

“It’s not that I don’t trust the people in my office, pero lahi ra gyud kung si Fr. Vic(Uy) ang naa diha. He is very qualified and I hope he could be that someone who will improve the integrity of the PSC,” said Ramirez.

With Fr. Uy holding a significant position in the PSC, Ramirez said Cebu will now have proper representation in the PSC and the sports programs here are expected to head into a new and better direction.