Transparency and accountability serve as the election war cry of Clint Aranas and his party when the archery chief runs for the Philippine Olympic Committee presidency on Nov. 27.
Aranas will go head-to-head against incumbent president and cycling's Bambol Tolentino for the top position, with his agenda centered on strengthening the country’s highest governing body as an ambassador to local and international sports communities.
“The mission is very doable,” Aranas said in Tuesday’s virtual Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.
“We don’t want the POC to be furnishing in the big picture.”
Part of their platform is to make national sports associations self-sufficient and self-reliant by grouping them into clusters to get private sponsorships.
“This way, corporate companies can sponsor a cluster and everybody will all get the financial help,” Aranas said.
Should he win the post, Aranas said he plans to spend the first 100 days strategizing for different NSAs since 2021 is expected to be a busy year for sports due to various competitions spread across the calendar, like Olympic qualifiers, the Tokyo Olympics and the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
Asked if he believes the election would be a numbers game, Aranas trusts his fellow voting officials.
“We don’t hard sell. We are offering an alternative. So it is up to the officials what they really want. If you want this to continue or if you want some solutions, then you decide,” he said.
Early last month, Aranas was among the POC members who pressed the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee for the immediate submission of PHISGOC’s audited financial statements on the expenses for the country’s hosting of the 30th SEA Games last December.
Part of Aranas’ campaign ticket are handball president Steve Hontiveros (chairman), athletics chief Philip Juico (first vice president), rugby secretary general Ada Milby (second vice president), wushu secretary general Julian Camacho (treasurer), weightlifting president Monico Puentevella (auditor).
His running mates for board members are netball’s Charlie Ho, billiards and snooker’s Robert Mananquil, squad’s Robert Bachmann, soft tennis’ Jeff Tamayo and adopted member Pearl Managuelod of muay.
Managuelod also appears on Tolentino’s team.
Meanwhile, Tolentino is running for a complete four-year term after serving the remainder of former POC chief Ricky Vargas’ term.
Among his running mates are triathlon’s Tom Carrasco (chairman), basketball chief Al Panlilio (1st vice president) and Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez of fencing and modern pentathlon (2nd vice president), gymnastics’ Cynthia Carrion (treasurer), and baseball’s Chito Loyzaga (auditor).
Running for board members are surfing’s Raul Canlas, judo’s Dave Carter, and chess’ Butch Pichay.
Fifty-one NSAs, two representatives from the Athletes Commission and International Olympic Committee executive board member Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski form the electorate.