Commissioner Chito

The MBA made a bold stroke last week when it appointed Chito Loyzaga its commissioner, after Ramon Fernandez, Ogie Narvasa and Butch Antonio.

Loyzaga, a seven-time member of the PBA’s All-Defensive Team (1985-87, 1989-1992), was part of the management of the original Pangasinan Presidents in 1998. He left after one season, but returned when fair lady basketball crooked her finger at him to come back through the MBA’s front office.

"I believe in the vision of the MBA," he says. "I have been a basketball player; I have been a part of coaching and I have been a part of management. I believe this will be a great challenge for myself. I know the league we will be managing is an exciting and I’m very optimistic. And all I ask (MBA chairman) Santi (Araneta) is for me to be able to implement the programs I have in mind. Not right away, no drastic changes, but eventually to go back to the original objective of the MBA, which was really grassroots development."

Loyzaga has always had a helping heart. He put up a foundation for street children a decade ago and, in 1993, was honored by the PBA Press Corps with a rare Humanitarian/Citizenship Award. That is the kind of advocacy and leadership the MBA has been looking for. And it dovetails perfectly with the MBA’s first official act upon its opening in Lingayen, Pangasinan in 1998, when it bestowed the award of "Greatest Filipino Basketball Player" upon his father, Caloy.

"I believe the sportsmanship and showmanship Chito Loyzaga brings is important to us," Araneta declares. "He doesn’t build factions; he’s not politically inclined. He’s a businessman and has a good basketball background. Good sportsmanship and integrity are very much needed in the league."

"He’s a great person all around," adds MBA business development manager Ramon Tuason. "It’s not only his basketball skills but his people skills that will help the league reach new heights."

First on Loyzaga’s agenda will be the viability of the league by marketing the new teams and players coming in. He doesn’t plan sweeping, dramatic changes, but more of fine-tuning to steer the league back into its original direction.

"Before the MBA came into existence, there was no league that could give opportunities to our Filipino brothers in the provinces," Loyzaga explains. "For me, the best part is giving them the opportunity to look at basketball as a career that they might get into or might want to develop their skills in. It also unifies the people from the province so that they can rally behind their team."

Loyzaga is currently reviewing the operations of the league to make sure the structure in place best serves the interests of the team owners, players and other stakeholders. Regarding the constant question of officiating, Loyzaga prefers to take a positive tack.

"I think the rules of the game are quite exciting at this time and to make a drastic change or even to apply a new rule would be inappropriate. At this point, maybe what we can do is give the referees all the right support they need so they can officiate better."

The original concept of the MBA was to phase out Fil-Am players by this season and let the homegrown talents thrive on their own. Loyzaga agrees on the emphasis on regional talent. There will be no glass ceiling for players from the provinces.

"If I’m going to follow the direction I want," he explains, "that is grassroots development. I will really give opportunities to Filipinos from the provinces. I’m not saying I’m closing the doors on Fil-Ams, but I think I will tend to give more chances to our brothers in the provinces.

With a fresh perspective and an untarnished reputation, Loyzaga will, at least in the beginning, have the MBA community’s trust. The downside is that he’ll also have to filter through the flood of strong opinion and emotional input that has been a staple of MBA life.

"I’ll have to take everybody into consideration," he admits. "I’m sure they have their own ideas that they want to contribute to the development of the league. I’ll just approach all of this with an open mind and make a decision later on about what would really be beneficial for the league and for the majority of the supporters of the league."