Busy Butch not leaving sports

William “Butch” Ramirez will remain a very busy man even if he is no longer the chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission.

Ramirez, who rose from provincial consultant to commissioner and chairman in his 10 years with the PSC, yesterday said he is not totally turning his back on sports because it’s always been part of his life.

Ramirez was named vice chairman of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines the other day, and will carry that post as he goes home to Davao City where he will also be in charge of its sports program.

“Besides, I will work for the Mindanao Sports for Peace program, the Mindanao Friendship Games and the Mindanal Children’s Games. So, I will be a very busy man in Mindanao. I will not leave sports,” said Ramirez.

The 58-year-old official has been informed by Malacañang that “a successor is about to come in” although he has yet to receive his official walking papers, and added that “I will not abandon my post until I am told.”

Former Manila Congressman Harry Angping is tipped to be Ramirez’ replacement, and reports said he would start assuming full responsibility on Feb. 1. Yet, he refused to issue any statement.

“We have to wait. Nothing is official as of now,” said Angping who left for Saudi Arabia yesterday as part of a Philippine delegation that included House Speaker Prospero Nograles.

Under Ramirez’ watch, the Philippine won the 2005 SEA Games overall title, a first for the country, and booked its best performance ever in the Asian Games, in almost four decades, in 2006 in Doha.

Ramirez, a former professor at Ateneo de Davao, yesterday thanked the PSC officials and employees for their support, and later in the day held what could be his final press briefing.

At some point, tears welled in his eyes.

“Of course I will miss this. I will miss staying in the athletes quarters at the Ultra, my home for the last 10 years. It was where I stayed with my wife, where I jogged every morning, where I always heard the voices of the athletes,” he said.

Humility has been his trademark. As commissioner he shuttled back and forth the Ultra to the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in a government-owned Toyota FX, and as chairman rode a Toyota Hi-Ace.

“All I want is to thank President Arroyo for the trust. And the people who helped me get here - Senator Gregorio Honasan, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Bacolod Congressman Monico Puentevella,” he said.

“It’s time to go. I have to go,” said Ramirez, a PSC consultant for two years, commissioner for four years, and chairman for four years. He will go down in history as the longest serving chairman of the government sports agency.

“I will carry all these memories with me. I’m happy — 101 percent,” he said.