By Joyce Pangco Pa?ares

PRESIDENT Arroyo has appointed former Manila Rep. Harry Angping to replace William Ramirez as chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission effective today.

But deputy spokesman Lorelei Fajardo said the Palace has yet to receive the resignation letter of Ramirez and that he was simply replaced by the President contrary to earlier reports that Mrs. Arroyo has accepted his letter last week.

The 58-year-old Ramirez earlier offered to step down after the country came home empty-handed from the Beijing Olympics in August last year.

Fajardo said Angping, who is the concurrent special envoy of the country for trade and investments to China, is a ?worthy successor? of Ramirez who was the longest serving chairman of the PSC.

?The new leadership under chairman Angping is expected to further improve the lives of Filipino athletes, foster a nurturing environment, instill integrity and strengthen the athletics education in the country, and create a national sports development program that supports and uplifts the talent and spirit of Filipino athletes,? the Palace official said.

Angping is the current vice president of the Softball Confederation Asia and has served as former president of the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines from 2002 to 2006. He holds a business administration degree after graduating from De La Salle University, and has a masters degree in Strategic Business Economics from the University of Asia and the Pacific.

But Fajardo admitted that the issue of Angping?s citizenship will be studied by the Palace.

Angping was disqualified from seeking a third term as Manila representative in 2004 because of his Chinese citizenship and he was replaced instead by his wife, Zenaida.

Ramirez, for his part, stepped down taking pride in having led the country in its first overall championship in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

It was also under Ramirez?s watch that the Philippines won a rare four-gold haul in the 2006 Doha Asiad.

?When he comes here, we welcome him, and we will support him,? said Ramirez, who told the members of the PSC executive to prepare for a transition period as well.

Ramirez, who is suffering from a respiratory ailment lately, will be a busy man after he accepted a new role as vice chairman of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines. The board of directors of the Abap gave him the position when he attended the national congress of boxing in Bacolod City.

Boxing officials have also asked him to help develop and include a program for the sport in the Mindanao Sports for Peace, the Mindanao Children?s Games and Davao City as well.

He added that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has also tapped his services, along with Ateneo de Davao University, which offered him a teaching job.

?Hindi pa rin ako mawawala sa sports. Mawawala nga ako sa PSC, but there will be a lot of doors opening. I think I?ll be a very busy man in Mindanao,? added Ramirez.

Angping, in an interview with Standard Today, thanked President Arroyo for the appointment.

?No. 8 is a lucky number to the Chinese, and today [Monday] is the Chinese New Year,? said Angping, the commission?s eighth chairman. with Peter Atencio