Butch Ramirez
| Butch Ramirez | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission | |
|
Assumed office June 30, 2016 | |
| President | Rodrigo Duterte |
| Preceded by | Richie Garcia |
|
In office 2005–2009 | |
| President | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| Preceded by | Eric Buhain |
| Succeeded by | Harry Angping |
William "Butch" Ramirez (born 1951 or 1952)[1] is a Filipino sportsman. Ramirez is the current Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman under President Rodrigo Duterte's administration succeeding Richie Garcia.[1] Ramirez is the only chairman of the government sports funding arm who served for two terms, first from 2005 to 2009 under former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and second is from 2016 onwards under President Duterte.
Career
Before he took over the position as PSC Chairman, he was the chairman of the Davao City Sports Commission and the men's basketball team head coach and Athletic Director of the Ateneo de Davao University.[2]
He was the deputy chef-de-mission of the Philippine national team who competed in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, which the country hosted. At the time, the Philippines won the first overall championship title at the biennial sporting meet. He was also the chef-de-mission of the 205-man Philippine delegation to the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.[3] Among the memorable achievements he made during the first term are the signing of sporting agreement between the PSC and China, modern dormitories for athletes and coaches and increased allowances and stipends.[4]
In 2009, Ramirez resigned from the post and returned to Davao as the Officer-in-Charge of the Davao Sports Development Division and a adviser for sports of the then-Davao Mayor Duterte after the country's unsuccessful campaign in the 2008 Summer Olympics held in China.[2] He was also the vice chairman of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP).[2]
Ramirez was also actively campaigned for Duterte as President during the campaign period. He was designated as advanced party head of the Duterte's campaign team who coordinate the logistics of Duterte's sorties across the country.[5]
Ramirez had initially turned down Duterte's offer to become PSC chairman, after the May 9, 2016 elections, due to graft cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against him, former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chairman Efraim Genuino, Philippine Amateur Swimming Association president Mark Joseph and other PAGCOR officials, in connection with the anomalous release of 37 million pesos in financial assistance supposedly for the swimmers who competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics.[6] But he changed his mind and accepted the offer, after the chief executive considered him to become the chairman of the PSC.[7]
Among his plans for Ramirez are the revival of the Philippine Sports Institute, additional national training centers in the provinces and to strengthened relationships between PSC and the POC, National Sports Associations and other sports stakeholders. He will also focused on the preparations of the country for the 2017 Southeast Asian Games.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 Navarro, June (June 22, 2016). "Butch Ramirez accepts PSC chair post". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Former PSC Chair Butch Ramirez Is Back in Davao!". Davao Base. February 2, 2009. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ↑ "Ramirez, Chef de Mission sa Asiad". Pilipino Star Ngayon. July 21, 2006. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ↑ "NOBLEMEN OF PHILIPPINE SPORTS: The PSC Chairmen Legacy". Philippine Sports Commission. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ↑ "A peek into Rodrigo Duterte's campaign team". Rappler. February 19, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ↑ "Ex-PAGCOR chief Genuino, 7 others charged with graft over P37-M swimmers' training". GMA News Online. June 3, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ↑ Navarro, June (June 21, 2016). "Duterte wants Ramirez back at PSC, says Go". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 22, 2016.