By Nick Giongco
Newly-elected Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Ricky Vargas plans to make the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, homebase of the national athletes and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), his second home.
“You’ll see me here often,” said Vargas after holding a meeting with PSC chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez just two days after he assumed the POC presidency following a resounding victory over Jose ‘Peping’ Cojuangco at Wack Wack.
Vargas intends to work closely with Ramirez so they could both monitor the progress of the training of the national athletes, who are going to be the focal point of his tenure as head of the POC.
In fact, Vargas likens himself to Ramirez in so many ways.
“We are of the same mind we have the same goal and we share a lot of things for the athletes,” said the 66-year-old Vargas.
“I have a lot of respect for chairman. I have known him and I know he is a good man and I know he has a good heart,” he said.
Now that the POC has found a major ally in the PSC, Vargas feels the athletes would highly benefit from their ‘union.’
“We will be stronger now than ever,” said Vargas, who was joined during the meeting by high-ranking boxing officials Patrick Gregorio and Ed Picson.
Now that the PSC and POC are working hand in hand, Vargas feels that the NSAs must start shaping up “because there has to be accountability on their part.”
These NSAs receive funding from the PSC and Vargas said that for them to deliver the medals, “they have to step up.”
“We have to empower them,” said the 66-year-old Vargas.