THE Games and Amusements Board (GAB), headed by Chairman Atty. Richard Clarin, is willing to work closely with all professional sports stakeholders to achieve its goals.

Clarin, who was appointed as head of the government regulatory body for professional sports only last Dec.28, said he has already reached out to different groups to find out what needs to be done to improve the welfare of the athletes and promote a good working relationships in professional sports.

“As the government body in charge of professional sports, GAB is ready to listen to all stakeholders and lend a helping hand as part of our mandate,” said Atty. Clarin during the 53rd “Sports on Air” via Zoom recently.

“Right now, GAB is looking to protect, to promote and to professionalize sports. Itong tatlong P ang aming mga ginagawa ngayon,” explained Clarin, who went to the University of the Philippines during college and finished with his law studies at the Ateneo de Manila.

“Nakita naman po natin na nung pandemya, medyo tumigil ang lahat, pati sports. Gusto nating payabungin ang lahat, hindi lang ang mga mainstream sports gaya ng basketball, boxing at volleyball kundi pati ang billiards, chess esports at triathlon. Aside from promoting our professional athletes here and abroad, tatalakayin din natin ang problema nila, especially when going abroad,” claimed Atty. Clarin, who also served as Head of Labor Litigation of the Gokongwei Group of Companies.

“May mga atleta din tayong napapabayaan because of economic interest. By professionalizing the sport from within, sisiguraduhin nating maalagaan ang welfare ng mga professional athletes. Sa boxing, hindi lang naman ang mga boksingero ang bida. Nandyan din ang mga referees, judges at timekeepers. Lahat ito titiyakin nating maaalagaan. I’m very sure na madami pa tayong kailangang gawin at matutunan mula sa mga atleta at mga organizations at commissions mula abroad.We want to make sure to be atleast at par or even better sa iba.”

“Lastly, we want to protect. We want to protect the integrity of the sport while also looking at ways to protect the health and safety of the athletes.”

Since his appointment as GAB chairman, Atty.Clarin said he already met with several professional boxing groups.

“Gaya ng ang lagi kong sinasabi sa lahat, ang GAB, ay open na makipag- diyalogo sa lahat. I understand na lahat ng industriya, may kanya-kanyang problema ngayon , dahil sa pandemya. Ang GAB naman po ay laging nandito para makinig at mabigyan ng solusyon anumang problema. One thing for sure ay hindi natin mabigyan ng solusyon ang lahat ng problema. Pero ang importante ay may open communications ang lahat. We can always agree to disagree and find positive ways to solve the problems in the future..”

Asked about the problems in boxing, Atty. Clarin vowed to look into the situation and find a win-win solution.

“Yung mga problema natin sa boxing, matagal na. Madalas natin nababalitaan na may mga boksingero tayong tuwing pumupunta sa ibang bansa, gaya sa Japan, laging talo. Para yatang 80 percent ng ating mga boxers, talo. Parang ginagawa silang pang-add dun sa ranking ng mga foreign opponents nila I’ll make sure that we look closely para ma-protektahan natin ang integridad ng sport.”

“Sa gitna ng lahat na mga gagawin nating ito, we promote, we professionalize, we protect.”

Atty. Clarin also hopes his deep knowledge of the sports will help him perform his task as GAB chairman.

“Mahilig po ako sa basketball, billiards, bowling, golf, at minsan, sumasali din ako sa triathlon. Mahilig talaga akong manood ng boxing simula nung pagkabata ko dahil sa late father ko, na boxing fan na nun panahon pa nina Muhammad Ali at Sugar Ray Leonard. Sabi nga, hindi naman kailangan na dapat involved ka or you actually played the game. Ang mahalaga, you understand it.

Tayong mga Pinoy, mahilig naman talaga sa sports. And as a lawyer, I could definitely help not only regulating but supporting our athletes kahit nasa abroad sila.”

Atty. Clarin lauded former GAB Chairman Abraham “Baham” Mitra and the GAB employees for doing well in the past years despite the limited budget of the government agency.

“Ang bida po talaga para sa amin sa GAB ay ang ating mga atleta natin. Pero madami po tayong dapat ipasalamat din sa ating mga kasama sa GAB at sa kanilang mga ginawa at gagawin pa. Alam naman din nating lahat na madami pong sinimulang magaganda si Chairman Baham (Mitra). Unfortunately, may mga hindi na din sya natapos nitong latter part. Itutuloy po natin lahat na mga iyan. At da-dagdagan pa.” With reports from Gab Ferreras