by Moses Billacura
Years ago, we used to visit William “Butch” Ramirez at the Athletics’ Office of the Ateneo de Davao University.
Not because he was to fond to talk with, but because he was a major source of information, being the head coach of the Ateneo Jr. and Sr. Blue Knights basketball teams, Davao organizer of the Nike and Gatorade tournaments, founder and training director of the Basketball Scientific Training Center that allowed kids who could not afford to pay P300 to join the summer basketball lessons.
It was Butch who started the Gaisano Cup with then JS Gaisano owner John Gaisano Jr. as chief backer in partnership with BAP (now known as SBP) regional director Regino “Boy” Cua.
For more than a decade, the Gaisano Cup survived, despite the economic crunch, to continue the age-group competition for elementary, high school and college students.
Butch organized the Cua Ceen Memorial Cup with Boy as presentor and the tournament revived the participation of Cebu teams in Davao leagues.
The poor boy from Padada, Davao del Sur later became a college instructor at the Holy Cross of Davao College, and eventually at Ateneo where he also finished a master’s degree in public administration.
After briefly serving the Davao City Sports Division from 1996 to 1998, Butch joined the Philippine Sports Commission as its regional coordinator. But by 2000, the national papers reported that a Dabawenyo had been appointed as new commissioner of the national sports agency.
As commissioner, Butch organized the Mindanao Friendship Games (MFG), a sports for peace program launched nine years ago in Tubod, Lanao de Norte, with the intention of unifying Mindanaoans through organized sports activities and seminars. Delighted by the outcome, then Lanao del Norte governor Imelda Quibranza Dimaporo and husband congressman Bobby Dimaporo made Butch an honorary Datu.
However, the sports for peace program specifically designed for Mindanaoans was scuttled with Butch unable to do anything to save it.
In the 3rd edition organized in Mati, Davao Oriental, Butch was no longer in-charge. Someone else took it from him.
But Butch did not stop. He kept on working until he was surprisingly appointed executive director, then officer-in-charge and eventually chairman of the PSC.
As chairman, Butch tirelessly worked with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) to successfully host the Manila Southeast Asian Games in 2005. And the reward? The Philippines emerged over-all champion for the first time in the history of the Games.
Salaries of employees, allowances of athletes and coaches were increased, the athlete’s village was repaired, better food was served at the canteen, there was peace between the PSC and POC and importantly, Visayas and Mindanao sportswriters were no longer treated as second-class citizens during his watch.
The Mindanao Children’s Games, that benefitted kids affected by the Maguindanao conflict, was also organized during his tenure.
After 10 years in the national sports agency, Butch, upon the prodding of his children and wife, Mercy, decided to go home to Davao. No more stress.
But the lure of sports development proved to be irresistible for Butch.
The Sports for Peace Mindanao Inc. was organized with the help of friends and free basketball clinics were organized in the barangays for free as Butch’s way of giving back to the Davao community.
Butch gives back to Dabawenyos who have been very good to him all these years.
