Choosing New Commissioner: PBA not in a hurry

With many qualified candidates to choose from, PBA chairman Butch Alejo said it would be difficult to immediately pick a replacement for outgoing commissioner Jun Bernardino, hinting that the process may go beyond the year.

"Choosing a (new) commissioner is a very difficult task. It will be very difficult to fill in the shoes to be left by Mr. Bernardino, he being one of the pillars and icons of the PBA. But I’m hoping that we can come up with the decision before the commissioner steps down by the end of the year," said Alejo during the PSA Forum at the Holiday Inn.

The PBA chairman, who is also Purefoods president, said it’s not necessary to rush things as far as naming Jun Bernardino’s replacement is concerned.

"It’s really not necessary to do that. I feel that even beyond this year, if we cannot choose the right person, the PBA will continue to function well it would really take a little while," he said.

If this happens, Alejo said executive director Sonny Barrios, one of the candidates for the post of commissioner, will have to function as officer-in-charge until the time a replacement is named.

"Jun B.has graciously told us that he’s willing to spend time even during the transition as soon as we choose the person to replace him. But if we are not able to name the new commissioner within the year, I guess what will happen is that Jun B. will help out and in the meantime the executive director (Barrios) will function as the OIC," said Alejo.

Bernardino, who’s been with the PBA for the last 20 years, nine of them as commissioner, also graced the forum and talked about the idea of forming of a national pool for future international competitions, and the recent board decision slicing the league’s salary cap.

Bernardino reiterated the PBA’s commitment of representing the country only in the Asian Games and said it’s about time to form a team for other international meets like the SEABA, the ABC or the SEA Games.

Bernardino added that the new salary cap for players, from a maximum of P500,000 a month to P350,000, will be effected gradually and might even be reconsidered or reviewed it and when the country’s economy improves.

"I’d like to look at this as a temporary (cap)," he said.

Alejo said the board has drawn up a list of the possible replacement, but said that except for one or two of them, the board has yet to receive word whether the rest are really interested in the job.

Alejo said those in the list, aside from Barrios, are former Shell coach Chito Narvasa and board representative Rey Gamboa, lawyer-sportscaster Noli Eala, RFM consultant Elmer Yanga and businessman Tito Panlilio. The names of Coca-Cola mentor Chot Reyes and grand slam coach Tommy Manotoc have also cropped up.

"We have to ask those individuals mentioned whether in fact they are willing and interested in the job. What we’ve seen are names in the newspapers. What we’ve done is get the services of an executive headhunter, target a list of 10 persons, trim it down to three or four then talk to these individuals and make a decision from there," Alejo added.

"This is the process we will take. Unfortunately I cannot really give you a definite time on when a decision will be made except to say that we hope to do that within the year."