Cantada’s tirades

PHILIPPINE Volleyball Federation (PVF) president Edgardo ‘Boy’ Cantada was in his usual self Thursday morning at the weekly ‘‘Usapang Sports” forum organized by the Tabloid Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) at the National Press Club (NPC) in Intramuros, Manila.
He came not only with fully loaded guns but with intention to shoot at detractors that stand on his way.

First target was former Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Peping Cojuangco and his long-time ally Joey Romasanta.

‘‘Pinakialaman kami ng POC noon sa ilalim ni Peping at Joey Romasanta,” Cantada said.

‘‘They unceremoniously expelled us from the POC and they told FIVB (the international body for volleyball) na nag-disband na raw ang PVF and according to Peping, PVF remissed in our duties to send teams in international competitions. The truth is, ‘yung binubuo naming teams ay laging hinaharang ng POC.”

Cojuangco, however, was already replaced by Victorico “Ricky” Vargas as POC president but still, Cantada and the PVF are still seeking for that elusive justice.“Vargas is a lame duck,” Cantada said.

“Sad to say, he does not hold the majority of the POC Board. But we’re still hopeful na maidepensa namin ang PVF sa POC General Assembly. Ito lang naman ang nais namin, maipaliwanag namin sa GA ang mga isyu sa PVF at kung gusto kaming paalisin ng GA, tatanggapin namin pero kailangan muna nila kaming mapakinggan.”

Cantada said he could not understand why the current POC leadership would not recognize them despite the fact that the International Volleyball Federation continues to acknowledge the PVF as the country’s national sports association and not its rival, the Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. (LVPI).

“Sakal na sakal kami. Hindi kami makakuha ng kongkretong tugon sa FIVB dahil sa impluwensiya ng mga kalaban natin. Sa POC patuloy kaming naghihintay na mabigyan ng pagkakataon na humarap sa General Assembly, ngunit hanggang ngayon sarado ang pinto sa amin,” Cantada added.

“Pero hindi kami susuko. Limang taon na kaming inaapi, pero okey lang basta ‘yung tungkulin namin sa bayan patuloy.”

before Usapang Sports was through, Cantada fired his last ammunition at LVPI president Peter Cayco whom he “challenged” to a face-to-face at the same forum organized by tabloid sports editors.

“Mas maganda nga kung maghaharap kami rito ni Cayco para magkaalaman na kung ano ang totoo,” Cantada said.

FESSAP needs support
Like the PVF, the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines (FESSAP) also wasn’t able to avail financial assistance from the PSC.
This was according to FESSAP executive vice president Dr. Robert Calo, who also graced the weekly sports forum along with 7s Football League founder Anton del Rosario and Raymond Reyes, assistant coach for Manila in the Community Basketball Association (CBA).

FESSAP is now preparing for the 30th Universiade to be held in Napoli, Italy in July.

In the history of the Universiade only three Pinoys—three Filipino athletes—chess champion GM Wesley So, taekwondo star Samuel Thomas Morrison and wushu sensation Jomar Balangui—have won medals in the international multi-sport event organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation (FISU).

So won the gold medal in 2013, Morrison bagged the silver in 2011 and Balangui captured the silver in 2017.

This year, according to Calo, the Philippines will field teams in swimming, athletics, taekwondo, diving and wushu to the Universiade.

Cantada, however, voluntered to form a volleyball team for FESSAP and the PVF would shoulder all its expenses to Napoli.

Aside from the country’s preparation to the 2019 Universiade, Calo is also busy for the “soft opening” of the Philippine Inter-Schools, Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (PISCUAA) next month.