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Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) formally welcomed to its fold the Philippine Pickleball Federation (PPF) as the country’s National Sports Association for the fastest-rising sport in the last five years during its second general assembly in 2024 at the East Ocean Seafood Palace, Aseana City in Paranaque Tuesday (May 15).
President Arman Tantoco, Chairman Mike Johnson, and Secretary General Red Dumuk represented PPF which has swelled to 88 member clubs with over 4,300 active players from a mere four clubs when founded in 2018.
Tantoco, a licensed architect makes a presentation on the growth by leaps and bounds of pickleball in the country and its allure.
In the March-April issue Pickleball Magazine, the official publication of USA Pickleball and the world’s only publication for the sport of pickleball, featured PPF’s popular “Street Pickleball” program.
Elected with them to serve as members of the board of trustees, established in 2019 as the “Philippine Pickleball Sports Association”, were: Giselle Cabrera, Gigi Maceda, Jeffrey Kho, Edgardo Mendoza, Federico Costales, Raffy Malanyaon and Jonathan Jover. Coni Ibañez is the incoming treasurer and the newly elected secretary general Red Dumuk.
Johnson, a world pickleball ambassador, and formerly co-chair of the International Pickleball Rules Committee also served as founding member and Secretary General of the Asia Federation of Pickleball (AFP) and Secretary of the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP). He continues to work with the newly formed International Pickleball Action Committee (IPAC) to unify the sport internationally.
Tantoco, a licensed architect and former Membership Director of the PPF, has served in several capacities in both the United Architects of the Philippines and the Jaycees. Johnson, Tantoco, Cabrera, Kho, Mendoza, and Costales are all Certified Pickleball Instructors while Maceda is a level 2, USA Pickleball certified referee and referee trainer.
Founded in 2019 with only four clubs in its roster, PPF was recently featured in the April issue although the sport has gained popularity nationwide, the PPF street program remains a player favorite.
From its humble beginnings in 2018, the Philippine Olympic Committee is considering PFF’s recognition as the National Sports Association (NSA) for pickleball.
Internationally, PPF is well connected as a founding member of the Global Pickleball Federation, the international governing body for the sport, and one of only a handful of member countries to achieve esteemed Class-A membership with full voting rights.
“We have worked long and hard to develop pickleball in the Philippines and with others around the world, and are excited to recognize our many ambassadors, supporters and friends at this historic event marking our sixth year”, enthused Mike Johnson, PPF Chairman, and co-founder.
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