Chito Loyzaga is PH chef de mission for 32nd SEAG
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Another basketball legend will be the chef de mission of the country for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) to be held in Cambodia in 2023.
Basketball great Joaquin “Chito” Loyzaga was recently appointed by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) as chef de mission for the Philippine delegation.
POC President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino made the official announcement on Monday, September 19, 2022.
“I want to express my appreciation to POC President Bambol for his trust and confidence in me to be the head of the Philippine delegation for Cambodia SEA Games,” said the 64-year-old Loyzaga.
Loyzaga is a seven-time Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) champion and a member of PBA’s 40 Greatest Players.
Loyzaga will be following the footsteps of fellow basketball legend and former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner, Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez.
Fernandez was the Philippine delegation’s chef de mission in last 31st SEA Games in Vietnam. The Philippines finished fourth place in the medal standings with 52 gold medals, 70 silvers, and 104 bronze medals.
Tolentino also appointed Sambo association head Paolo Tancontian and canoe-kayak head coach and international technical official Leonora “Len” Escollante as Loyzaga’s deputies in the May 5 to 16, 2023 SEA Games Cambodia is hosting for the first time.
“Their handling of their respective NSAs [national sports associations] and their management skills make them deserving of the posts,” said Tolentino.
Cambodia recently announced to feature 608 events in 49 sports in next year’s SEA Games.
Loyzaga is a former PSC commissioner and currently the president of the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association.
“It’s a big challenge for the Philippines to perform well, as well as the other countries, because of the number of sports favoring the host country,” said Loyzaga who already has an experience being a chef de mission after being appointed as deputy chef de mission in the 2010 Asian Beach Games.
Loyzaga and his deputies will officially exercise their functions after the POC General Assembly on Sept. 28.
/bmjo
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