PATAFA ready for changing of the guard

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) expects a smooth transition of power when it conducts its elections by February 2014.

Patafa president Go Teng Kok has expressed his plans to take a less active role and chairman Philip Juico, whom he has tapped to help take care of athletics affairs in the recent international campaigns, looms as his likely successor.

“I’m thinking of retiring already and I hope there will be a smooth transition,” said Go, who has been slowed down by illness recently and couldn’t attend Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission functions after being declared persona non grata by the Olympic body.

The controversial Patafa chief said they are just fixing their registration papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other procedural matters before going through with the voting.

“As soon as we have clearance from the SEC – they said they’ll give us one sometime February – we’ll have the elections,” he said during a presscon with Patafa officials Juico, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Nicanor Sering and head coach Joseph Sy.

Juico, also a former PSC chief, is being groomed to take over.

“You’ve seen for the past few months paano ako tinutulungan ni Mr. Juico (how Juico has been actively helping me take care of the association). Sa world championships sa Russia siya ang pumunta, sa SEA Games siya rin ang pumunta (He represented us in the world championships in Russia and in the last SEA Games). That was the first time in the past 25 years that I missed the world championships and the SEA Games,” said Go.

Juico expressed readiness to take the mantle.

“What we want to do first is follow all the processes and procedures so we won’t run aground with any regulations of the SEC or the POC and PSC,” said Juico. “Once those are properly sorted out and elections are held properly, we’ll proceed with the elections.”

“If given the task, I will of course accept the challenge,” he added.

The Patafa has emerged as the best performer among the national sports associations (NSAs) that fielded bets in the Myanmar SEAG, raking in six gold, four silver and three bronze medals.

“We could have won more in the throwing events, if only the PSC helped us and provided our throwers with training facilities,” said Go.