This mestizo seems to be intimidating at first glance.
But looks, yes, sometimes, can be deceiving.
Anthony Sasin is one of the most amiable guys on the golf course. He sticks to a pack of friends, his long-time golfing buddies, but would easily embrace somebody who is new to the group, especially novice golfers.
Taras, as he is called by friends, once headed the Apo Golf and Country Club and during his watch made the early improvements on the course that has become one of the best golfing venues in the country.
His work as director of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association has made him busy working closely with other firms to help ensure compliance with international quality standards. The PBGEA covers 11 provinces in Mindanao that total some 50,000 hectares and produces export-quality bananas. It ensures that its products are of highly competitive quality by going into research and is focused on the welfare of the members who have reached more than 70,000.
He could only briefly serve as presidential assistant for Mindanao because his time has become more of a demand by the banana industry.
Taras was in the forefront tackling issues affecting the banana industry as spokesperson of the PBGEA and does his job well, doing it like a golfer—cool, composed and focused.
The golf course provides him the needed respite from all the work and talking with golf buddies Boy Tan, Jimmy Larrabaster, Andy Ugdoracion among others are like a breath of fresh air to Taras.
There is no talking about his work as senior vice-president for industrial relations division of the Anflo Management and Investment Corp. or with his connections with the Philippine Business for Social Progress, an organization with a mission to to empower the poor—but on the golf course, it’s all about getting the needed exercise, bonding long-time friends and meeting new golfers as friends.
Mr.Sasin’s other concern these days is to campaign for TUCP as a party-list and if he gets lucky, he will use his years of experience and skills to make sure that TUCP’s objectives to “promote decent jobs, decent pay, and decent homes for workers and their families” and to be “dedicated to ensuring a stronger voice for workers in Congress” or to be “committed to building democratic space for the disadvantaged workers”.
Taras is a cool guy who can crack jokes on the golf course, but when it comes to their workers’ welfare, he is serious in ensuring that they have happy and productive workers in their companies. [Moses P. Billacura]
