The youthful TATAP president was recognized for his efforts in reviving the sport in the country.
"We have been informed of his (Valbuena) aggressive promotion of the sport in the Philippines. We need someone like him to further advance our good cause in the Southeast Asian region," said SEATTA’s secretary-general Chan Foong Keong of Malaysia.
In only his first year as TATAP head, Valbuena worked for the revival of the regional and national open and improved relations with private supporters like LG Collins, Federal Express, Rustan’s Group among others.
"I am grateful to the trust bestowed on me by officials of table tennis federations in the region. My thrust is to make the Philippines one of the powerhouse in Southeast Asia and hopefully give the region some pride in international competitions," said Valbuena.
Valbuena’s priority is the development program for the junior’s team which he is grooming to become the region’s best when the Philippines host the Southeast Asian Games in 2005.
"We don’t want to disappoint our countrymen who would be cheering for us when we play in front of them. That’s why our program now is focused on the young players," he said.