New PBA chairman seeks major changes

MANILA, Philippines - Air21 president Lito Alvarez will push for a league expansion, creation of a PBA developmental league and change in league structure when he assumes the PBA board chairmanship after the rookie draft tomorrow.

Alvarez, 51, co-owner of Burger King and also president of SGL Philippines, will also bat for the construction of the league’s own coliseum as he takes over from Alaska Milk’s Joaqui Trillo as the top honcho of the league gearing up for its 35th season in October.

Purefoods’ Rene Pardo will be the new vice chairman while Rain or Shine’s Mamerto Mondragon is the new treasurer.

Alvarez, the Lina Group ball club governor and team manager since its entry into the league in 2002, said he will formally present his plans and programs during the board’s planning session in Tianjin, China Aug. 9-11.

The board is holding its annual meeting in China as part of its commitment to support the Powerade Team Pilipinas competing in the FIBA-Asia Championship.

PBA officials have expressed confidence in Alvarez, a corporate man who rose from the ranks starting from his job at SGV then with Advance Micro Devices before moving over to the Lina Group of Companies. He’s an accounting graduate from Far Eastern U.

“Mr. Lito Alvarez is a dynamic person who knows the value of media mileage and exposure. Likewise, I’m sure he will greatly contribute to making the league more attractive to the watching public and more responsive to the fans’concerns,” said PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios.

“I’ll bat for the league expansion. I think it’s about time. It’s ideal for the league. We have a big surplus of players out there,” said Alvarez, a Muntinlupa native married to Maria Vilma with six kids in Marv, Rich Francis, Ross Kenneth, Angeli, Iverson and Maui.

“I’m also looking at a developmental league, equivalent to the NBA ‘D’ League. The best bet would be the Liga Pilipinas. In fact, we have had an initial discussion with Liga Pilipinas commissioner Noli Eala. He has a position paper which I will show to the board in China,” Alvarez also said.

Included in Alvarez’s immediate plans is the restructuring of the PBA from an organization to a corporation.

“In doing so, I believe we would strengthen the league and we could make a lot more things being a corporation,” Alvarez said. “We’ll do the initial initiatives towards achieving this goal in China.”

As a corporation, the PBA will be run by a president or chief operating officer instead of a commissioner.

Alvarez is also keen on reviving the league’s goal of having its own coliseum.

The PBA drafted plans under the chairmanship of Ricky Vargas but the project was shelved under the leaderships of Tony Chua and Joaqui Trillo.

Alvarez didn’t elaborate, though, how will he pursue the project.

As for his team, Alvarez is hopeful they can finally have their breakthrough championship in the coming season.

They own the No. 1 pick in tomorrow’s draft and they’re likely to use it on the 6-foot-9 behemoth Japeth Aguilar.