PUREFOODS GIVEN RIGHT TO VOTE

A few months before it takes over the chairmanship of the Philippine Basketball Association, the Purefoods Hormel franchise was given the right to vote on non-basketball related matters during the PBA Board of Governors meeting yesterday at the PBA Office in Libis, Quezon City.

Purefoods is the third PBA franchise of San Miguel Corporation, and under the rules on commonly owned teams, only two commonly-owned teams can cast their votes on all PBA matters that need to be voted on. Voting for SMC in the past were representatives of the San Miguel Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

With the latest Board decision, Purefoods can now vote on issues concerning business contracts, league personnel and acceptance and suspension or termination of another PBA member.

However, Purefoods still cannot vote on basketball related matters like game protests, game officiating issues, salary cap rules/violations, player trades and Annual Draft.

With the concurrence of Commissioner Renauld “Sonny” Barrios, the Board also decided to fill up the position of Deputy Commissioner and the post has been offered to Atty. Angelico Salud, son of former PBA commissioner Atty. Rudy Salud and who also served as consultant to commissioner Barrios when he was still the league’s Officer-in-Charge in 2007.

The Board also did away with the 15-game residency requirement for Fil-foreign applicants to the 2010 PBA Annual Draft in the light of developments in the amateur basketball backyard.

In lieu of the 15-game residency requirement, Fil-foreign applicants to the Draft will have to attend the entire Rookie Camp, which has been extended from the usual three days to one week.
The expanded Rookie Camp will allow teams to have a better gauge of the Fil-foreign talents available for the 2010 PBA Annual Draft.