PBA approves new structure; Salud appointed CEO

PUERTO PRINCESA – Chito Salud will be staying in the PBA after all after accepting a new position in the new structure of the PBA as approved by the league board of governors in a meeting in the sideline of the PBA All-Star Week here Saturday night.

Salud, who had resigned as PBA commissioner, accepted the position president and chief executive officer of the newly overhauled PBA body, looking forward to help the league achieve its vision of sustaining its growth.

“This takes effect immediately,” said PBA board chairman Patrick Gregorio who announced the change, including the creation of a new position game commissioner/chief operating officer (COO) under the president/CEO.

Patterned after the NBA organization, the CEO will also have under him heads of corporate communications, finance, marketing, administration, legal and human resource development.

Under the care of game commissioner will be the PBA, the PBA D-League and the technical aspects.

“We still want to grow and we feel CEO Chito Salud can help us. He has new tasks, to be helped by the game commissioner. Ang game commissioner ang nakatutok sa games,” Gregorio explained.

 One immediate task by Salud is to help the board to review the PBA by-laws.

“The last time we changed our charter was in 1994. Marami nang passé sa by-laws ng PBA,” said Gregorio.

As to who will be the game commissioner/COO, Gregorio said they have tapped the services of Global Solutions Inc. to help them in the search for the right man.

But during last night’s meeting, the names of Willie Marcial and Rickie Santos have already been mentioned as candidates. Marcial is currently the media bureau chief and special assistant to the commissioner while Santos is the operations chief.