SMC image, name solid – Salud

MANILA, Philippines - No amount of controversies, even as galling as the Renaldo Balkman caper, could compromise the image and reputation of Petron Blaze/San Miguel Beer ballclub, the only remaining pioneer member of the pro league.

PBA commissioner Chito Salud, reacting to San Miguel Corp.’s statement of re-evaluating its PBA participation after Balkman was banned for life, said the franchise’s reputation remains solid and unshakeable.

“The Petron/SMC franchise’s reputation is solid and unshakeable. I respectfully disagree with anyone who will say otherwise, much more on the basis of an import’s individual and singular act. It just isn’t the case,” said Salud in reaction to the statement released by San Miguel Corp. Monday afternoon on the Balkman controversy.

“The SMC group is a great franchise run by great leaders. I know many of them personally and I only have great respect for them. Mr. (Danding) Cojuangco and Mr. (Ramon) Ang are pillars of Philippine society who I have followed and admired ever since. The PBA and their franchise have been together for a long, long time and that’s valuable in every respect,” said Salud. 

SMC had announced it is re-evaluating its participation in the PBA following the incident that it felt dragged the name and tainted the image of the giant food and beverage conglomerate.

“Our reputation is of utmost importance to us because we have worked hard to cultivate this good name through the decades. But it takes only one unfortunate incident like this to undo all our efforts,” said SMC in a statement.

“As such, given the possible long-term effect of this incident to the San Miguel organization’s image, and in consideration of our need to preserve our good reputation, management has decided to re-evaluate the company’s continuing participation in the PBA,” the statement added.

PBA officials hope SMC’s pronouncement doesn’t lead to pullout of its three ball clubs – Petron Blaze, San Mig Coffee and Barangay Ginebra – from the league.

“I hope it does not come to that point where SMC decides to leave the league they have been part of and helped built for many years,” said former PBA board chairman Ricky Vargas, representing Talk n Text.

Rain or Shine co-owner Terry Que expressed the same sentiments as quoted by a sports website.

“Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that. Their presence in the league is huge. For one, they’re the only remaining league pioneer,” said Que.

But whatever decision SMC makes, Vargas believes PBA will sail on.

“If they do finally decide to leave while it is always sad to have any team for that matter leave the PBA, the league as an institution will manage I am sure,” he said.

“Remember the time Crispa and Toyota – two of the most popular teams – left the PBA, the PBA managed to pick up the pieces,” he added.

Alaska team owner Wilfred Uytengsu, meanwhile, said it’s SMC’s prerogative to reevaluate its PBA participation.

“The league has it in its by-laws to abide by the commissioner’s decision. No player or team should be above such decisions and rules. If a team or teams feel such decisions are not acceptable, then they must come to their own decisions, including future participation,” said Uytengsu.

“As far as the Balkman incident is concerned, it seems the commissioner took all the facts and prior history into account. We must remember that player and fan safety is paramount and the PBA needs to set right example,” Uytengsu also said.