Ming steps down for Binay in badminton

MANILA, Philippines - Former First Lady Amelita “Ming” Ramos the other night stepped down as president of the Philippine Badminton Association, transferring the mantle of leadership to Vice President Jejomar Binay and ending a long leadership dispute in one of the troubled national sports associations (NSAs).

“For the sake of unity for badminton, I am giving way to Vice President Binay,” Mrs. Ramos told The STAR yesterday.

She talked to the sport’s stakeholders at The Fort Saturday night in a meeting attended by Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and agreed to give way to the Vice President.

Sports patron Manny Pangilinan, whose MVP Cup had lured some of the world’s top players, was named chairman of the PBA by acclamation while Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Albee Benitez, whose Bingo Bonanza sponsored a number of Philippine Open Badminton Championships, was designated secretary general.

Mrs. Ramos will remain in the PBA as its honorary chair.

She, however, refused to elaborate, saying she still needs to talk to the heads of member-clubs of the PBA and all these will depend on the election which the PBA plans to hold soon.

“Everything was solved last night (Saturday). It’s peace at last in Philippine badminton after years of conflict. She was magnanimous, she did it for the love of badminton,” The STAR source said, referring to the former First Lady.

Errol Chan, who was elected president in the POC-supervised election two years ago, did not attend the meeting but sent a resignation letter.

“It was also a magnanimous move on his (Chan) part,” said the same source.

The leadership change came after the group of companies headed by Pangilinan included badminton as one of the eight NSAs set to receive financial and logistical help.

“For badminton, the goal is to be among the top three in Southeast Asia. Why only top three? It’s a bit of a tall order to beat Indonesia and Thailand. They are way ahead of us. But there’s no reason why we can’t be in their league,” said Pangilinan in Friday night’s launching of the MVP Sports Foundation, Inc. dubbed GOAL! Pilipinas at the Meralco gym.

The new group is expected to get the POC recognition as well as that of the Badminton World Federation, which has recognized Ramos from the start.

It has actually lined up a series of tournaments nationwide this year, starting with a ranking tournament next month.

The PBA, under Mrs. Ramos, staged two big tournaments recently, including the Ming Ramos-Victor National Youth and Open Championships, which featured the country’s leading and rising stars, and the Corporate Cup.