RICKY Vargas was named chef de mission to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and Al Panlilio will handle the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games as the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) made key appointments during its first General Assembly for the year on Wednesday at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Paranaque City.

Also appointed, according to POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino were Rep. Richard Gomez for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Dr. Jose Raul Canlas for the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand and Stephen Arapoc for the Chengdu 2025 World  Games.

“The objective is to prepare our teams—and athletes—in earnest for the international competitions, that’s why the chefs de mission were appointed,” Tolentino said. “If we prepare early, there will be no excuses.”

Richard Lim of karate is chef de mission to the Asian Winter Games in Harbin that starts February 7 to 14 while the a ched de mission has yet to be named for the Third Asian Youth Olympics Games from October 22 to 31 in Bahrain.

Vargas is a former POC president and currently chairman of the boxing federation, Panlilio (basketball) and Gomez (modern pentathlon) are the incumbent first and second vice presidents, respectively, and Canlas (surfing) treasurer of the organization, while Arapoc heads the wushu association.

The SEA Games will be played December 9 to 20 this year in Chonburi, Songkhla and Bangkok, and the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are set February 6 to 22, Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games from  September 19 to October 4 in 2026.

The Los Angeles Olympics are from July 14 to 30, 2028.

Former football president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta was appointed as ethics committee chairman while Atty. Daniel Hofileña, a non-POC member, will head the arbitration committee.

Tolentino said the POC General Assembly also approved the 2025 working budget of P35 million which is P8 million less than last year’s because of the Paris Olympics preparations and participation.

Tolentino and his secretary-general Atty. Wharton Chan also announced that the POC made a P15 million savings last year.

RICKY VARGAS stressed his solid support for the reelection of Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino as president of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).

And Vargas, Tolentino’s predecessor at the top POC post, couldn’t help but describe politics in the POC as “painful.”

“I’m solidly for the continuation of the programs of Bambol [Tolentino],” said Vargas during the sidelines of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifier between the Philippines and New Zealand which Gilas Pilipinas won, 93-89, on Thursday night at the SM MOA Arena.

“He’s been able to help not only the POC stature, but bring up the stature of the POC and he also helps many athletes,” said Vargas, who was elected POC president in 2018 but resigned in 2019 prompting a special election with Tolentino winning over Philip Ella Juico.

“We need a man like him especially in the POC where politics is painful,” he said. “That’s the reason I chose him to take over my place because I knew that we needed somebody strong, someone who knows politics and who can actually manage politics in any organization.”

The POC will hold its elections on November 29 at the East Ocean Seafood Restaurant in Paranaque City with 61 national sport associations picking who will lead the organization in the next four years—Tolentino of cycling or Chito Loyzaga of baseball.

 Vargas said he shouldn’t be throwing tirades against Tolentino’s opponents but couldn’t resist defending harmony and unity within the POC.

“It’s expected, the other side has always been the biggest critic and they never stopped, in the guise of unity, they never stopped,” he said. “And it’s the same people … but it’s their right, their right to run, wanting to take over POC again.”

“But I think we should be a little bit more circumspect,” he added.

Tolentino is seeking a fresh four-year term with his “Working Team” composed of basketball’s Alfredo “Al” Panlilio (first vice president), modern pentathlon’s Rep. Richard Gomez (second vice president), surfing’s Dr. Jose Raul Canlas (treasurer) and volleyball’s Donaldo “Don” Caringal (auditor) and and Alvin Aguilar (wrestling), Leonora “Lenlen” Escollante (canoe, kayak and dragon boat), Alexander “Ali” Sulit (judo), Ferdinand “Ferdie” Agustin (jiu-jitsu) and Leah Jalandoni Gonzales (fencing) as members of the Executive Board.