CYCLING ELECTIONS. Elections committee chairman Bones Floro (top, right) administers the oath of office to reelected Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling) president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino (sixth from left) at the East Ocean Palace Restaurant in Parañaque on Tuesday (Dec. 29, 2020). Also in photo are (from left) Jojo Villa, Juancho Ramores, Paquito Rivas, Jun Lomibao, Sunshine Joy Mendoza, Oscar Rodriguez, Moe Chulani, Carlos Gredonia and Alejandro Vidallo. Atty. Billy Sumagui (top, left) is reappointed secretary general. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – House of Representatives deputy speaker Abraham Tolentino was successfully reelected as president of the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling) on Tuesday.
Tolentino received a fresh four-year term in a PhilCycling election held at the East Ocean Palace Restaurant in Parañaque.
Tolentino's top priority at this moment is the resumption of the cycling events next year amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
He said that he is in favor to push through with these events "with or without a vaccine against Covid-19."
“I am looking at Clark or Subic for the national championships for road and Tagaytay City for BMX and mountain bike,” Tolentino said.
Cycling is among the physical activities allowed amid the pandemic regardless of the quarantine classification an area is in, making it somehow easier for organizers to hold one especially in areas with more lenient restrictions.
Pampanga, Zambales, and Cavite have been placed anew under the most lenient modified general community quarantine on Monday night.
While the public is waiting for the vaccine to finally become available, Tolentino said he is willing to hold the cycling nationals inside a bubble similar to the professional leagues earlier this year.
“If the PBA [Philippine Basketball Association] did it in Clark, we could do the same in the same venue, in Subic and Tagaytay,” he added.
On the other hand, he is looking forward to see top freight carriers Air21 and LBC, the major sponsors of the two top tier cycling race series, Le Tour De Filipinas and Ronda Pilipinas, respectively, merge the two races for next year.
Tolentino also wants the Filipino cyclists to gear up for a busy 2021 that includes the Tokyo Olympics, the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games, and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG).
The Philippine Olympic Committee, which Tolentino also heads, recently offered to become the host of the AIMAG.
Meanwhile, Alberto Lina was also reelected as PhilCycling chairman as well as Vice President Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez.
Jun Lomibao, Juancho Ramores, Paquito Rivas, Moe Chulani, Carlos Gredonia, Atty. Marcus Andaya and Jojo Villa were also reelected to the PhilCycling board.
On the other hand, Alejandro Vidallo was named as the new treasurer, while Engr. Greg Monreal became the new PhilCycling auditor.
Also joining the PhilCycling board as new members are Erwin Bollozos and Sunshine Joy Mendoza, the Philippines’ first female national road commissaire.
Atty. Billy Sumagui is also staying as secretary general. (PNA)
