New commish gets support from leaders

The new Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) leadership under chairman Jaime "Jimmy" Dilag got a major boost yesterday when the various sectors of the horse racing industry expressed their all-out support to his administration.

President Arroyo appointed Dilag last week to replace Andrew Sanchez with a fresh four-year mandate.

"I’d like to thank the President for giving us her confidence and the different sectors for expressing their support to the new Philracom board. With their help, there’s no way but up for the local horseracing industry," said the 51-year-old Dilag, a sportsman-businessman who also served as two-time Philracom commissioner prior to his appointment.

Among those who met Dilag and assured him of their support were majority of the horseowners and breeders, the New Philippine Jockeys Association (NPJA), Philippine Horse Trainers Association (PHTA) and the grooms’ association.

Officials of the country’s two racing clubs – the Manila Jockey Club and Philippine Racing Club – have also conveyed their support to Dilag.

Aside from Dilag, President Arroyo also appointed former star jockey Eduardo Domingo Jr. and airline executive Eduardo Jose as new commissioners. Lawyer-businessman Vergel Cruz, businessman Felizardo Sevilla Jr. and marketing executive Roger Tandiama were reappointed commissioners. Top executive Francis Trillana is the other commissioner.

Assisting the commissioners are executive director Narmo Noblejas and deputy executive director Romeo Buencamino.

Dilag presided over the new Philracom board’s first meeting last Friday and proposed some of his immediate projects for the industry.

"I presented to the board members some of my plans and I’m very happy because they said they’ll give me their 100 percent backing," said Dilag, who also vowed to carry on the projects initiated by Sanchez.

Foremost on Dilag’s agenda is the revival of the racing public’s interest in the sweepstakes races through the help of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

"We’ll try to look for other source of funds so that the sweepstakes races starting this November will have P500,000, P200,000 and P100,000 for the first three placers," added Dilag.

Dilag, also a former pelotari, said the board will push for the transfer of the appeals committee from the two racing clubs to the Philracom itself.

The new chairman also assured racing fans that several major races, with bigger prizes and star-studded lineups, are on tap for the rest of the year.