Hapee's Cecilio Pedro elected as PBL chairman

Dr. Cecilio Pedro of the Lamoiyan Corp., which makes Hapee Toothpaste, was voted as the new Philippine Basketball League (PBL) chairman Tuesday at the Shangri-La Hotel in Pasig, the league said in a statement. Pedro will replace Toyota Balintawak's Gil Angeles, who completed his one-year term of office. "I'm happy with the trust and confidence of my fellow team owners and their representatives for choosing me as the season's chairman," Pedro said. "I'll do everything to help sustain the gains achieved by past chairmen of the league. This is a great honor and a challenge for me." Dr. Mikee Romero, owner of Harbour Centre, was named as vice chairman, while Ding Camua of new team Pharex was designated as treasurer. The Lamoiyan franchise has been in the league since 1996, but it was only this time that Pedro accepted the job, a decision, according to the statement, that was greeted by thunderous applause. "I'm very happy that Dr. Pedro finally accepted the nomination of the board," Angeles said. "With him at helm, I'm very certain the league will reach another milestone. He's a well-respected businessman and a proven winner." But no one was more elated with the decision of the 54-year-old Pedro to accept the nomination than commissioner Chino Trinidad, who said they share the same passion for basketball. "With his marketing savvy and leadership, I'm certain the league will grow further and achieve more," Trinidad said. Pedro is looking forward for a harmonious relationship with Trinidad, saying: "We have a common denominator because we both love the league. I hope I can help him repackage the league." "We have to improve the image of the league and capitalize on the products that we have," Pedro said, He hopes to introduce more "gimmicks," like raffling off of several gift items every after quarter to attract more spectators in all PBL playing venues. "We have to have some innovations to make the game and the league more attractive," Pedro said. "We have to test everything to find the right chemistry." - GMANews.TV