FRESH START. Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino (right) swears into office the new Philippine Tennis Association officers, led by Parañaque City Mayor Eric Olivarez (to Tolentino's right), after the election at the Century Park Hotel in Manila on Monday (Dec. 11, 2023). Also in photo are (from left) Board members Gerardo Alcala, Theodore Jose Matta, Jean Henri Lhuillier and Theodore Dy. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – The Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) is back on track as it elected a new set of officers on Monday, expected to be followed by the lifting of its three-year suspension imposed by the world governing body International Tennis Federation (ITF).
The ITF suspended Philta in December 2020 as it was seen as an exclusive membership organization and without regional representation.
Parañaque City Mayor Eric Olivarez won as Philta president during the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) - supervised election at Century Park Hotel in Manila.
Also elected were Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino (vice president), Navotas City Mayor John Rey Tiangco (secretary general), Calabarzon’s Gerardo Alcala (treasurer) and Mimaropa’s Theodore Jose Matta (internal auditor).
The other members of the board voted independently by their respective regions were Franzes Khu Camacho (Bicol), Theodore Dy (Western Visayas), Elmaerwin Sibucao (Ilocos), Gilbert Paylado (Mindanao), Dickerson Laruan (Cordillera Autonomous Region), Cagayan Valley’s Fernando Silapan (Cagayan Valley), Joile Mondragon (Eastern Visayas), Jean Henri Lhuiller (Central Visayas), and Dyan Castillejo and April Toledo for Gender Equity.
“It’s done. The election was held and there’s a new set of officers,” POC president Abraham Tolentino told reporters. “We’re going to report this to the International Tennis Federation to finally lift the suspension on Philta.”
Tolentino was overwhelmed by the huge turnout of members from the 13 regions, saying "we didn’t expect this huge attendance."
A total of 158 clubs nationwide applied for membership, with 119 getting approval from the election committee headed by POC secretary-general Wharton Chan, with deputy legal officer Billy Sumagui and deputy secretary-general Carl Sambrano as members. (PNA)
