Pagdanganan stays as Philsoc head

Roberto "Obet" Pagdanganan will stay on as chairman of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee even without the tourism portfolio.

After attending to the courtesy call of junior golfers at Malacañang, President Arroyo personally informed Pagdanganan that the job of ensuring a successful staging of the 2005 SEAG is "his responsibility" after he leaves the Department of Tourism and proceeds to chair the Philippine International Trade Corp.

Pagdanganan assured the Chief Executive that the Philsoc remains on course for the overall championship aside from performing the role of a perfect host.

"We must not fail the nation and the President. What we had started will be pursued with more vigor. I thank the President for her confidence in our ability to rally the nation behind our athletes and the sports community," said Pagdanganan.

The President’s quick response put a lid on speculations that Pagdanganan’s departure from the Cabinet will affect the Philsoc preparations for 2005 as it has been the previous practice of Malacañang to appoint the DOT as lead agency and its chief chairman of the organizing committee.

There are, however, no legal impediments in appointing a non-Cabinet member to the post of Philsoc chair.

Eric Buhain, chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission which is responsible for preparing the venues and training national athletes competing in the biennial games, said the decision is an indication of how focused the President is in the SEAG success.

"Sec. Pagdanganan has been moving towards establishing the quality and discipline required to make the Games a success. I am sure this was the yardstick used in keeping him as Philsoc chair," said Buhain, the most bemedalled athlete in the 1991 SEAG when the country yielded the overall championship to Indonesia by a margin of one gold medal.

Taekwondo national association president and Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Robert Aventajado counts the President’s move to keep Pagdanganan at the helm of Philsoc as major blessing by saying, "we members of Philsoc found Obet very professional and capable of implementing GMA’s visions of a successful holding of the Southeast Asian Games."

Also quick to back GMA’s decision was Track and Field Association president Go Teng Kok who cited Pagdanganan’s understanding of the requirements in hosting an event of such magnitude.

"I know that he is a hands on leader and he knows his way around the jungle of the sports community. GMA made a very sound decision. Pagdanganan is the perfect man for this job."

Go also noted Pagdanganan’ expertise, marketing, as being the key to the success of SEAG 2005, which in initial estimates will require an overall budget of P1 billion.

"Government cannot do this alone. Private sector support must be generated and we need someone who can access those who have the wherewithal to help and convince them to do so in the name of national interest."