Eric Buhain
Encyclopedia
Joseph Eric Buhain is the chairman of the Philippines
' Games and Amusement Board.
Buhain is also popular among Filipinos as a champion swimmer, where he hauled several Southeast Asian Games
medals to the Philippines.
Eric ventured into swimming not because he dreamed of winning an Olympic gold medal, but because his doctor advised him to venture into sports to improve his lungs. Eric was born with Primary Lung Complex.
He enrolled in a two-week swimming program at the age of seven. Yet his training was breached by another illness, hepatitis
. However, this didn't stop him. A year later, he was training again and taking the advance course in swimming, the competitive course, at age nine. It was at this age that he got into the varsity swimming team of De La Salle-Santiago Zobel School
and vowed to win a gold medal in the sport.
By 1981, he was a member of the Philippine Team and swam in the 400-meter individual medley at age eleven. But it was in his first Southeast Asian Games
in 1985
, held in Bangkok
, Thailand
, where he snatched the gold in the same category at the age of fifteen.
In the 1989 Southeast Asian Games
in Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia, he broke one of the existing SEA Games swimming records. In the 1991 Southeast Asian Games
, where the Philippines
was the host, he made a huge contribution to the gold medal record of the host country by winning most of the events in swimming. With great jubilation, he was chosen to represent the Philippines in the 1992 Summer Olympics
. Unfortunately he didn't win any medals in that sporting event.
Even though he won several gold medals in the 1993 Southeast Asian Games
, he decided to retire from his swimming career. He was disappointed on poor government management that led to a mediocre performance of the Philippine team in that sporting event.
In 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Buhain as the chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission after learning the Philippines poor international ranking in Sports. He instituted reforms that led to protest to some commissioners and employees. In 2003, the Philippines increased its rank in the medal tally in the Southeast Asian Games
and the country won several medals in the 2002 Asian Games
after getting only a bronze medal in the 1998 Asian Games
.
Barely six months before the 2005 Southeast Asian Games
he was appointed by President Arroyo as the chairman of the Games and Amusement Board, a public agency that handles professional sporting and gambling events.
Buhain is the husband of Representative
Eileen Ermita-Buhain
of the 1st District of Batangas, and the son-in-law of Executive Secretary
Eduardo Ermita
.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
' Games and Amusement Board.
Buhain is also popular among Filipinos as a champion swimmer, where he hauled several Southeast Asian Games
Southeast Asian Games
The Southeast Asian Games , is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia...
medals to the Philippines.
Eric ventured into swimming not because he dreamed of winning an Olympic gold medal, but because his doctor advised him to venture into sports to improve his lungs. Eric was born with Primary Lung Complex.
He enrolled in a two-week swimming program at the age of seven. Yet his training was breached by another illness, hepatitis
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The name is from the Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation"...
. However, this didn't stop him. A year later, he was training again and taking the advance course in swimming, the competitive course, at age nine. It was at this age that he got into the varsity swimming team of De La Salle-Santiago Zobel School
De La Salle-Santiago Zobel School
The De La Salle–Santiago Zobel School is a Catholic institution for boys and girls located in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, the Philippines...
and vowed to win a gold medal in the sport.
By 1981, he was a member of the Philippine Team and swam in the 400-meter individual medley at age eleven. But it was in his first Southeast Asian Games
Southeast Asian Games
The Southeast Asian Games , is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia...
in 1985
1985 Southeast Asian Games
The 13th Southeast Asian Games were held in Bangkok, Thailand from 8 December - 17 December 1985.- Medal count :- Mascot :The official 1985 SEA Games mascot was a Siamese cat.The Siamese is one of the first distinctly recognised breeds of Oriental cat...
, held in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, where he snatched the gold in the same category at the age of fifteen.
In the 1989 Southeast Asian Games
1989 Southeast Asian Games
The 15th Southeast Asian Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 20 August - 31 August 1989. It was officially opened by 9th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Azlan Shah. Although Cambodia did not participate, Laos returned to compete for the first time under the new federation name in this...
in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia, he broke one of the existing SEA Games swimming records. In the 1991 Southeast Asian Games
1991 Southeast Asian Games
The 16th Southeast Asian Games were held in Manila, the Philippines from 24 November - 3 December 1991. This was the second time that the country hosted the biennial regional sporting event. It was officially opened by President Corazon Aquino at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila through a...
, where the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
was the host, he made a huge contribution to the gold medal record of the host country by winning most of the events in swimming. With great jubilation, he was chosen to represent the Philippines in the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
. Unfortunately he didn't win any medals in that sporting event.
Even though he won several gold medals in the 1993 Southeast Asian Games
1993 Southeast Asian Games
The 17th Southeast Asian Games were held in Singapore from 12 June to 20 June 1993.-Mascot:-Medal count:-References:**...
, he decided to retire from his swimming career. He was disappointed on poor government management that led to a mediocre performance of the Philippine team in that sporting event.
In 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Buhain as the chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission after learning the Philippines poor international ranking in Sports. He instituted reforms that led to protest to some commissioners and employees. In 2003, the Philippines increased its rank in the medal tally in the Southeast Asian Games
2003 Southeast Asian Games
The 22nd Southeast Asian Games were held in Hanoi, Vietnam from 5 December - 13 December 2003. The games were opened by Vietnamese prime minister Phan Van Khai in the newly constructed My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi. The games torch was lit by Nguyen Thuy Hien of Wushu...
and the country won several medals in the 2002 Asian Games
2002 Asian Games
The 2002 Asian Games, also known as XIV Asiad is a multi-sport event held in Busan, South Korea from September 29 to October 14, 2002. Busan is the second city, after Seoul in 1986 to host the Games. A total of 419 events in 38 sports were contested by 7,711 athletes from 44 countries...
after getting only a bronze medal in the 1998 Asian Games
1998 Asian Games
The 13th Asian Games were held from December 6 to December 20, 1998 in Bangkok, Thailand. This was the first time that Thailand bid for the event after it shouldered the two postponed hosting rights in 1970 and 1978.-Emblem:...
.
Barely six months before the 2005 Southeast Asian Games
2005 Southeast Asian Games
The 23rd Southeast Asian Games were held in the Philippines from November 27 to December 5 in 2005. The games were participated by the eleven nations of Southeast Asia. This was the first time that the opening and closing ceremonies were held in a large open field, despite the fact that Manila...
he was appointed by President Arroyo as the chairman of the Games and Amusement Board, a public agency that handles professional sporting and gambling events.
Buhain is the husband of Representative
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
Eileen Ermita-Buhain
Eileen Ermita-Buhain
Eileen Ermita-Buhain is a Filipino politician. A member of the Lakas-CMD Party, she has been elected to three terms as a Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the 1st District of Batangas...
of the 1st District of Batangas, and the son-in-law of Executive Secretary
Executive Secretary (Philippines)
The Executive Secretary of the Philippines is the head and highest ranking official serving in Cabinet of the Philippines and the head of the Office of the President of the Philippines. The office-holder has been nicknamed as the "Little President" due to the nature of the position...
Eduardo Ermita
Eduardo Ermita
Eduardo R. Ermita, was the Executive Secretary of the Philippines, and spokesperson for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was born on July 13, 1935 in Balayan, Batangas. Ermita took his Defense Resource Management Course at Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, California, U.S.A...
.