by Kristel Satumbaga
The fate of Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) will be known today as heads of various national sports associations (NSAs) are expected to vote whether to suspend or not the association during the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) General Assembly at the Meralco gym in Mandaluyong.
The POC Membership Committee had earlier recommended the suspension of Philta for not following the directive of the International Tennis Federation to increase its membership and improve representation of stakeholders apart from declaring its non-recognition of its president Atty. Antonio Cablitas.
Cablitas, who is the Presidential Adviser on Foreign Investments, said he’s not backing down on the pressure applied by his detractors.
“It’s better to work silently and make tennis a popular sport once again,” said Cablitas.
For Philta to be suspended, twenty-eight votes or two-thirds of the 43-voting membership must favor the recommendation of the POC Membership Committee headed by Robert Bachmann.
Cablitas is recognized by the Philta Board of Trustees as its president.
If suspended, tennis will be out in next year’s SEA Games, a scenario that is likely to hurt the country’s image.
