Next target: Foreign coaches

The on-going (and seemingly interminable) hearings of the Senate Committee on Games, Amusements and Sports have turned up a new wrinkle: the loose procedure in giving Alien Employment Permits (AEP’s) to foreign coaches in the Philippines.

"There is a provision in the Labor Code which states that a non-resident — or foreign coach for that matter — who seeks employment must be given an AEP," explains committee chair Sen. Robert Barbers. "But this is after proving that there is no competent Filipino, no taker nobody who would coach this particular team."

Barbers confronted the Department of Labor on this, and officials admitted they had been lax in admitting foreign coaches. Barbers finds it ironic, since we export coaches to other countries.

"We should put Filipinos first," he adds. "We have a surplus of Filipino coaches."

The Star asked Barbers and Sen. John Osmeña, an active member of the committee, about their view on foreign coaches who have taken up permanent residence in the Philippines.

"In the case of Tim (Cone) he is married to a Filipina," says Osmeña, "and that entitles him to find a livelihood here. Norman (Black) is also married to a Filipina, so you can’t prevent them from working here."

According to Barbers, the argument of a team that they have tried Filipino coaches and failed doesn’t wash, either.

"I know a lot of coaches who apply but aren’t given jobs because preference is given to foreign coaches," he reveals. "But, strictly speaking, the Department of Labor must ascertain that no Filipino coach can take the job."

"Well, there are many Filipino coaches who haven’t won championships, and there are many who have won championships," adds Osmeña. "It’s part of the game."

The investigation, originally targeted at PBA teams, inadvertently may affect national sports associations (NSA’s) who hire foreign coaches. Does the "Filipino first" policy also apply to them?

"Maybe it would be better to make them consultants first, for example, in track and field," the chairman says. "A consultant is different from a coach, and he can still help a lot. But to replace a Filipino who has applied for coach is another story."

"At one time, I was an alumnus of San Carlos (University), and San Carlos brought in a German soccer coach," Osmeña illustrates. "And I think that coach did very well. There are sports where a foreign coach would be required to bring our players to international standards. It’s only basketball that is very extensively played here."

Osmeña is also consulting lawyers about the differences between the PBA and PBL, since he understands that the PBL, being an amateur league, can bring in entire teams of foreigners to participate in its tournaments. This matter stemmed from the senator’s questions regarding Alex Compton’s playing for the LBC Batangas Blades in the amateurs.

"I’m trying to clarify that," he says. "Because the PBL has no rules excluding foreigners, so we are quite an open country."

At the end of the day, the country’s laws must match the rules and regulations of specific sports. In the NBA and Australia’s National Basketball League, there aren’t really any limits on foreign-born players. But in Australia, imports are naturalized and allowed to play as Australians. In international competition, some tournaments allow up to two naturalized players.

The question is: what is OUR stand on these things?

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