Games and Amusement Board chair Abraham “Baham” Mitra is proud to let everybody know that pro boxers undergoing medical exams don’t have to pay fees.
In a chat at his GAB Makati office, Baham, a hands-on manager, went as far as saying that positive improvements and developments are happening in his watch.
I like this. For a long time, I know that pro boxers are paying for their own medical exam everytime they have an upcoming fight.
Now that Mitra has done what his predecessors did not do or overlooked during their respective GAB terms, I get the feeling that executive management and expertise are truly a requisite in our governance style.
Why not?
If one will observe the on-goings in government, not only now in the Duterte administration but in several past regimes, the (mis)management of government departments, agencies, bureaus and offices is what makes the national leadership credible.
But with guys like Mitra at the helm of a small agency such as the GAB, improvements, big and small, can only happen when genuine managers are at work.
Of course, I can only write and talk about my experiences in the past when Baham, a proud Bedan, was yet probably in his teens or elementary years.
“Come on, please visit us often,” he said with overflowing enthusiasm.
While we engaged in mostly focusing on boxing affairs, I would have wanted to find out some developments in other fronts, such as professional basketball, game fowl (sabong), etc.
I would have also wanted to discuss his take on Manny Pacquiao’s published comment on wanting to make his last boxing fight in the Philippines.
The GAB, through then chair Louie Tabuena, ably handled the country’s hosting of “Thrilla in Manila” where boxing Hall of Famers Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier slugged it out in what was to be described as the “Fight of the Century” in 1975.
I thought Baham would volunteer to mediate, as GAB chair, to enable the Pambansang Kamao to realize his wish to fight before his countrymen.
It is a do-able thing, I tell myself because it had been accomplished before by his predecessor.
First, private sponsors and corporate support would certainly come in because of the legendary proportions that Pacquiao brings into every match that he is involved.
Second, even the entire government would come hollering “Yes, Yes, yes” because of the positive drawing attraction that the eight-category world boxing champ brings.
Third, the tourism sector will greatly benefit as hordes of boxing fans will fly over to the Philippines to watch Pacquiao and travel to other tourist destinations in the country. Something like shooting two birds with one stone.
And many more pluses.
At any rate, I hope that these ideas get to touch a sensitive chord in the GAB chair’s persona and proceeds to take the first step. (2 Tim. 1:7-8: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.” GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
