MANILA, Philippines – Several sports officials expressed their support for the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairmanship bid of former Senator Robert “Sonny” Jaworski, also known as “The Living Legend” of Philippine basketball.

Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) founding head Ceferino “Perry” Mariano, National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President Prospero “Butch” Pichay, Jr., and Philippine Cycling legal counsel and former NCFP secretary-general lawyer Samuel Estimo said Jaworski will do good as PSC chief.  

“Senator Jaworski is the best choice of PSC chair. He perfectly understands RP sports and Filipino sports men. His never-say-die attitude would inspire our athletes to win more medals for flag and country in international competitions. He could be the best thing that ever happened to the Philippine Sports Commission,” said Estimo, a 2-time Olympiad chess member.

Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) chief Go Teng Kok commented, “Malaki ang maitutulong ni Sen. Jaworski sa sports kaya magandang balita na siya ang napili bilang PSC chairman.”

“Sa katunayan siya pa ang coach ng RP basketball team na nag-silver medal noong 1990 sa Asian Games sa Beijing,” added Go, who was the RP basketball team manager during the said quadrennial meet in 1990 in China.

Also supporting Jaworski’s PSC chairmanship bid are Philippine Karatedo Federation Secretary-general Raymund Reyes, coach Junel Perania, and athletes Marna Pabillore (Asian Games silver medalist/Korean Open gold medalist) and Mabel Arevalo (Korean Open gold medalist).

Sebastian “Baste” Chua of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) also backed the former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) player’s chairmanship bid.

Meanwhile, Reli de Leon, a confidante of Jaworski, recalled the genuine heart of “The Living Legend” among national athletes.

“Some years back when he was not yet a politician, Jaworski helped feed our athletes in preparation for the Southeast Asian Games when he learned that they were not being fed properly. There were 500 athletes then whom he fed with his own earnings. It was one of the Big J's well-guarded secrets which the public never knew because as he said, all he wanted to do is to help his fellow sportsmen," said de Leon, one of Jaworski's closest friends.

In fact, Jaworski is supporting the first-ever Philippine campaign to this year’s World Memory Championships in Guangzhou, China and the United Kingdom Memory Open in London where Roberto Racasa of Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) and Johann Randal Abrina of University of the Philippines (UP) are the country’s representatives. – by Marlon Bernardino