Chito Salud to step down as PBA president/CEO

MANILA, Philippines – Chito Salud has resigned from his post as PBA president and CEO effective at the end of the year, the league confirmed in a statement Tuesday, December 1.

“I have formally and respectfully signified my intention to step down as President/CEO of the PBA effective at the end of December 2015,” he said.

Salud said he has already turned over responsibilities to incumbent league commissioner Chito Narvasa, who took the job before the start of the current 2016 season.

“The organizational structure of PBA as we have envisaged is already in place. The handover to the new Commissioner has been smoothly executed. And the Board under Chairman (Robert) Non’s leadership continues to be as it is – a source of strength, stability and continuity as the PBA charts its way forward,” Salud explained in the statement.

“It is for these reasons that I believe the time is right for me to move on, confident as I am that I have already made my modest contributions to the critical transition into this current PBA season.”

The statement did not say whether or not Salud will have any further role in the PBA in the future. It also did not say if there will be a new president or CEO.

Salud, 53, ascended to the role of first-ever president and CEO after the 2015 season in July as the league took a new direction with its organizational chart.

He was previously league commissioner for 5 years before formally announcing he was stepping down in February this year. Narvasa officially took over as commissioner in August.

Salud was the 8th PBA commissioner and had a noteworthy tenure as he steered the league to a much better place in terms of attendance and viewership.

Salud’s most significant achievement was expanding the PBA to an unprecedented 12 teams to usher in its 40th season. He welcomed Meralco in 2010, Globalport in 2012, and NLEX, Blackwater, and KIA (now Mahindra) in 2014.

Attendance records were likewise broken under Salud’s term as commissioner, with the league recording its biggest crowd of 52,612 in October 2014 on opening day of the 2015 season at the Philippine Arena. – Rappler.com