Four more years...

Philippine  Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose “Peping” Cojuangco Jr. is hoping that they could accomplish all of their planned programs after the group of the former Tarlac first district Representative swept all positions contested in Friday’s elections at the Alabang Country Club in Muntinlupa City.

Cojuangco, who got 32 votes to earn a fresh four-year term, said they will quickly buckle down to work to prepare the country’s athletes for several international competitions next year including the 2013 Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar.

“Any group that is working together can give you good results. I hope we can still be together for the expectation of the Filipino people,” said Cojuangco, who again appointed Steve Hontiveros as secretary-general.

But he said that the POC’s top priority would be establishing a training center that promotes sports science, a program that would help athletes in the national training pool and national teams, and coaches in their preparation for international tournaments including the Olympic Games.

Cojuangco said the POC would encourage all National Sports Associations (NSA) to implement the program. “We’re hoping to make drastic improvement with our athletes’ performances. The athletes don’t only need nutrition, but also a proper weight loss program.”

He is hoping, once the project is implemented, that the Philippines can finally win that elusive Olympic gold medal probably in the 2016 Rio Games.

Cojuangco believes that it will be in measurable sports events—like archery and shooting—where the country can win the Olympic gold.

“This is my last term and hopefully before I step down in 2016 we can win that Olympic gold in the Rio Games,” said the 78-year-old Cojuangco.

Cojuangco ran unopposed after supposedly chief rival Go Teng Kok of athletics was disqualified and dropped his decision of seeking a temporary restraining order that could have stopped the electoral proceedings.

His entire slate is composed of Karatedo's Joey Romasanta, soft tennis’ Antonio Tamayo, wushu’s Julian Camacho and chess’ Prospero Pichay clinched the first vice president, second vice president, treasurer and auditor posts by an average winning margin of 26 votes wide margin opposite their respective rivals.

Sailing’s Ernesto Echauz, canoe-kayak’s Jonnie Go, gymnastics’ Cynthia Carreon and judo’s Dave Carter—who all ran under Cojuangco’s ticket—got 29, 29, 28 and 23 votes respectively to fill in the board of directors posts.

Thirty-nine heads or representatives of national sports associations attended the elections along with athletes’ representative Harry Tanamor of boxing and Marestella Torres of athletics, and International Olympic Committee representative Frank Elizalde.

The Table Tennis Association of the Philippines (Tatap) failed to send a representative after the breakaway group of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV successfully acquired a temporary restraining order (TRO) on Thursday preventing president Ting Ledesma or any of his officers to vote.

Trillanes is contesting Ledesma’s election as Tatap head early this year.

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