Chito Narvasa

Professional profile

Narvasa previously coached the Shell and Purefoods franchises in the PBA from 1995 to 1998. He has also held commissioner posts in the NCAA (2007) and in the UAAP (2008). During his tenure as a PBA coach, he was assessed just two technical fouls for excessive complaining. After which, he opted to focus on his career as a banker serving as chief executive officer of Citystate Savings Bank. He was also the president of the Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines (BCAP).

PBA Commissioner

On May 14, 2015, Narvasa was appointed as the ninth league commissioner via a unanimous 12-0 vote by the PBA Board of Governors. He took the post vacated by Chito Salud, who would serve as the first PBA president and chief executive officer (CEO). He officially took over from Salud on August 1, in time for the Rookie Draft of the 2015–16 PBA season.

Notable Changes and Events

Narvasa's first order of business as commissioner was to look into league's officiating, which has been a source of controversy in the past years. Hours before the 2015 draft, he issued an order to teams disallowing trading of players and draft picks during draft day, but would be done in the next few days after the draft. Before the start of the 2015-16 PBA season, he introduced some changes in officating, particularly on deliberate fouls, as well as adapting the referee substitution rule and FIBA's rule of 14-second shot clock reset after offensive boards.

Controversies

Narvasa has been the center of numerous controversies since the start of his tenure as commissioner.

He handed an indefinite ban on SPIN.ph beat reporter Snow Badua after the latter wrote an article and posted Twitter tweets accusing Barangay Ginebra San Miguel team governor and close friend Alfrancis Chua for having an extramarital affair with model Abby Poblador. In his letter to Badua, “It has come to my attention that you had used different media platforms to malign, embarrass and mortify a person of authority of this association. Your incessant attacks on Twitter on Mr. Alfrancis Chua, team governor of Ginebra San Miguel, has caused distress, embarrassment and disharmony with his family”. His ban on Badua angered many journalists, accusing him as violating press freedom using his power as commissioner.

In November 2015, when asked by reporters about Mahindra Enforcers playing-coach Manny Pacquiao's no-show during the Alaska-Mahindra overseas game in Dubai, he quoted as saying that Pacquiao was feeling under the weather, has had prior engagements, and that he is not a basketball player but a boxer, yet he still acknowledged Pacquiao's value to the league as a sports personality who can draw crowds to the game. Such comments he gave to Dubai-based Gulf News angered Mahindra team consultant Joe Lipa, who defended Pacquiao and accused Narvasa's remarks as degrading and uncalled for. Narvasa made a mandatory summon over Lipa's remarks, but Lipa did not honor it. As a consequence, he suspended Lipa from attending Mahindra games.

He was also accused of power play by his predecessor, Chito Salud, when the latter announced his resignation as president and CEO and revealed the reason behind his resignation. According to sources of Spin.ph, Narvasa bypassed Salud in handing down key decisions, primarily the banning of Badua and Lipa.

On December 5, 2015, Ginebra team governor Alfrancis Chua was caught vaping inside the arena on national television, which prompted the Department of Health and other anti-smoking advocates to talk to Commissioner Narvasa regarding his unhealthy and unethical actions. As a result of the incident, Narvasa only admonished Chua, but gave him a warning, after the latter apologize for his actions.

Personal life

He is the son of Andres Narvasa, a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, and Janina Yuseco. He is also the brother of former MBA and PBL commissioner Ogie Narvasa.