by Tito S. Talao
Manila, Philippines – The PBA Board of Governors is all set to welcome today incoming chairman Ramon Segismundo of the Meralco Bolts at the start of their annual planning session at Westin Sydney Hotel.
Segismundo, senior vice president for human resources and corporate services at Manila Electric Company, will take over from Barangay Ginebra’s Robert Non, basketball operations chief at San Miguel Corporation.
Petron Blaze board representative Ely Capacio moves up from treasurer to vice chairman and will assume the helm for the 40th PBA season in late 2014.
According to the Meralco Industrial Engineering Services Corporation (MIESCOR) website , Segismundo holds a bachelor of science degree in Industrial Engineering and M.B.A. from University of the Philippines, is Senior Professional in H.R., Society of Human Resources Management/Villanova University, Pennsylvania, chairman of Outsourced Teleserve Corporation (OTC), trustee and vice president of Meralco Millennium Foundation, Inc.(MMFI) and MMLDC Foundation Inc., trustee of the Meralco Pension Fund, and director at Landbees Corporation, Miescor Board, CIS Bayad Center, and GEPMICI.
Expected to be tackled by the PBA board, among others, are the annual budget, format and schedule of games for the 2013-2014 season, television coverage, import requirements, provincial games, officiating, venue concerns, the coming FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, and the extent of the league’s would-be involvement in other international competitions, including the Southeast Asian Games this December in Myanmar and the Asian Games in Incheon, Korean in September next year.
Fireworks could also be set off should Segismundo push for stronger measures against unruly fans and provocateurs.
Segismundo has denounced racial chants director at San Mig Coffee import Marqus Blakely in Game 5 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.
“I condemn these racist remarks,” Segismundo said, vowing to raise the issue in the board meeting.
Segismundo is also pushing for overseas training for PBA referees and for stronger commitment to the national team by the league ballclubs.
“We cannot disassociate ourselves from the national team,” Segismundo told InterAKTV.
“My main priority as chairman is the establishment of a truly unified basketball nation that teaches Filipino values of discipline, can-do spirit, determination, towards the advancement of our country and society,” he said. “I believe we have an opportunity here to really rally the fans, rally the PBA community, towards this goal.”
Former national coach Jong Uichico, now an assistant with the Bolts, has been tasked to handle the RP-SEA Games team, while composition of the RP-Asian Games squad remains up for discussion with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
Segismundo will be coming in on the heels of a record-smashing 38th PBA season in terms of TV ratings and gate receipts.