RE-ELECTED. Ada Milby was given another two-year term as head of the Philippine Rugby Football Union. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – Ada Milby will continue her role as president of the Philippine Rugby Football Union (PRFU) after being re-elected to another two-year term.
"I'm honored for the opportunity to continue serving our Philippine Rugby members, stakeholders and communities. It's a critical time for us as we reflect on our successes of the past decade and identify areas we need to adapt and improve to future-proof our organization. Thankfully, as we move into designing our new Strategic Plan for 2024-2028, we have representation on our board that reflects the game across Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon. The board together with key stakeholders will set the direction for the organization moving forward towards making Rugby a choice sport for Filipinos,” said Milby in a statement released to the media on Thursday.
Milby played for the national team before joining the PRFU Board in 2013. In 2017, she became the first woman to be appointed to the World Rugby Council, serving on the Regions and Rugby committees.
Meanwhile, Gareth Holgate of Eagles RFC, Steve Mommaerts of Manila Nomads, and Philip Campbell of Cebu Dragons were elected as members of the PRFU Board of Trustees.
Holgate, who is currently the CEO of SDW Realty, played for more than 10 years in the national team.
“It has been a great privilege and honor to have been selected to play for the Volcanoes during the last 12 years, and I have enjoyed the participation and the camaraderie this offered immensely. I have also learned a great deal from the experience and gained many firm friends in the process. It is also great to see our up-and-coming stars of the future coming forward both internationally and domestically. I am also hugely honored to join the Board of the Philippine Rugby Football Union, and I am very excited and greatly looking forward to this next chapter. This is where I can contribute in an advisory position and I hope to pass on my skills and the experience that I have gained, for the benefit and improvement of the game in the Philippines,” said Holgate.
Campbell, representing the Visayas-Mindanao region, is the head coach of the Cebu Dragons Rugby Football Club.
“I look forward to growing the game, growing local talent in wider regions outside Luzon and having an impact at a national level. I would like to support diversity and continue to drive the game and PRFU forward. It’s important to ensure we brand the game to have a local and corporate partnership appeal,” shared Campbell, who coached the Hong Kong national team in the 90s.
Mommaerts has been involved with Manila Nomads and domestic rugby for 14 years and has also served as a match official for the last five years.
“As part of the new board for the PRFU, I will work with my other board members to further drive the vision established by the past PRFU administration in order to build on the foundation for rugby in the Philippines that has been laid. I look forward to finding solutions to whatever challenges arise over the next 24 months,” Mommaerts said.
Rick Santos, who served for eight years as president and four years as secretary general of PRFU, and Jaime Urquijo will hold ex-officio posts on the Board.
All the appointed members, together with Max Stewart, Rose Lanticse, and Ric Bellen, will serve as the Union’s Board of Trustees for the next 12 months, the PRFU statement said. (PNA)
