MVP joins SCOOP; TV5 missing

MVP joins SCOOP; TV5 missing
By Robbie Pangilinan

Sports advocate and business tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan joined the SCOOP sa Kamayan weekly session Friday even as his own TV5 network failed to cover the event.
TV5’s nonappearance during the forum sponsored by ACCCEL and QTECH Solutions has raised speculations, especially as the two giant networks, ABS-CBN and GMA, along with Sports Radio 918 and all newspapers, were all represented.

SCOOP organizers invited TV5 News to attend the event but the network seems to have overlooked the invitation. Rumors have it that some TV5 people are not supportive of MVP’s management. Last year, the PLDT group acquired a 75 percent interest in ABC5 and there had been dramatic changes since—changes that some ABC5 veterans found hard to accept.

But despite TV5’s nonattendance, Pangilinan was able to clarify some issues regarding his resignation as chairman of the Ateneo de Manila University’s Board of Trustees which might lead to his discontinued financial support to the school’s sports program, specifically its basketball team.

Pangilinan, more popularly known as MVP, has tendered his irrevocable resignation from the board after accusations that the speech he gave during the university’s commencement exercises was found to be plagiarized. The chairman of PLDT and Smart admitted he was hurt by what happened and said he will meet with Ateneo’s team members and officials before deciding whether to continue helping or not.

Pangilinan, also the president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and chair of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP), said that he will instead focus his efforts on the national basketball team and the RP boxing team. The Smart-sponsored basketball team is aiming to bag at least fourth place in the Asian Games while the boxing team eyes for a gold medal.

MVP, who came to the SCOOP session with ABAP president and PLDT senior vice president Ricky Vargas, dreams of the basketball team making it to the 2010 London Olympics as well as quenching the country’s thirst for a gold medal for 86 years.
MVP has high hopes that the RP basketball and boxing teams will garner wins in the Asian Games, then in next year’s FIBA-Asia championship to qualify for the 2012 Games.
Pangilinan emphasized that the SBP is not only training the national team but also aiming to take on an active role in the basketball scene in Southeast Asia. Known as Asia’s basketball capital, the Philippines ought to send a candidate to the coming Southeast Asian Basketball Association congress and elections in Bali, Indonesia, MVP declared, though he did not announce the position yet. #