PSA confers lifetime achievement awards

Three former commissioners of the Philippine Basketball Association and four entities which have promoted sports over the years will be the recipients of lifetime achievement awards from the Philippine Sportswriters Association during the PSA 2002 Annual Awards Night Jan. 10 at the Holiday Inn Manila.

The individual awardees are PBA commissioners Jun Bernardino, Rudy Salud and Leo Prieto who steered Asia’s first professional basketball league into a premier league.

Bernardino was commissioner from 1993 to 2002, executive director from 1982 to 1993 and PBA board secretary from 1983 to 1987.

From January to July 1982 he was on the sportscaster’s panel of Vintage Enterprises, producer of PBA games.

Outside of the PBA, he was assistant coach and team manager of the Filsyn team in the PBA in 1980-81 and physical education instructor of International School from 1977 to 1980. He was PE instructor of the University of the Philippines, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree and became chairman of the UP Maroons Sports Foundation, Inc.

He was assistant coach of the RP men’s team in 1979 and of the women’s team in 1976 and head coach of both the UP Maroons men’s and women’s teams.

Salud was the third PBA commissioner. A prominent lawyer, he was first secretary general of the World Boxing Council, whose constitution and by-laws he drafted, and eventually became a respected boxing promoter and manager. He was former president of the Manila Jockey Club.

Prieto was the first PBA commissioner, who earlier served as coach of the multi-titled YCO Painters in the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association, precursor of the PBA.

The PSA will also present lifetime awards to four entities for their valuable contribution to grassroots development. These are the Coke Go-for-Goal, Metropolitan Chess Club, Milo BEST and San Miguel Corp.

The Coke Go-for-Goal is a successful football program, which Coca-Cola sustained for over a decade using corporate funds to promote football among the youth nationwide.

The MCC is the only club that consistently promotes chess among young chess talents. Its effective system of training has produced players of national master caliber, many of whom have represented the country in international competitions. In line with its commitment to establish prominent chess players in the future, MCC founded the Metropolitan Chess Association, whose task is to stage tournaments as an important sequel to its chess clinics.

Milo has been at the forefront of youth basketball training under its Milo BEST program, designed to give aspiring young cagers the science of basketball under the supervision of experienced national trainers. Milo has also put in a substantial part of its annual budget to the now-popular Milo Summer Program, which encourages youths to learn the basics in various sports during the summer.

San Miguel Corp., aside from maintaining its professional basketball team, is a consistent sponsor of major tournaments as well as programs that reach out to the grassroots level. Its continuing commitment to sports at all levels speaks well of its corporate philosophy and mission to elevate the Filipino’s way of life through community and sports activities.

The Awards Night is sponsored by Red Bull, Photokina and Agfa and supported by Samsung, San Miguel Corp., Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Sports Commission and Adidas.

It will be telecast by NBN-4.