Congressman Richard Gomez (8th district, Leyte) stepped down as president of the Philippine Fencing Association on Friday, giving way to a new set of officers considered “old hands” of the sport.
Former secretary general and ex-national team member Rene Gacuma took over as the new head of the association when he was elected new PFA president.
Gacuma, who is one of the original members of the national team in the 1980s, comes aboard in place of Gomez, who has been leading the governing body for fencing in the country since 2015.
The 62-year-old Gacuma takes over a sport that is currently rising up on local soil, and with various clubs opening in Metro Manila and in parts of the country, taking the initiative with self-funded development programs put in place.
During Gomez’s time and with Gacuma coming in, numerous member clubs have come forward and continued to take the lead in helping talented fencers earn medals for the Philippines.
Many private clubs working behind the scene with the PFA also took credit for the success of elite fencers like Samantha Catantan in foil and Noelito Jose in epee.
Gacuma was once a member of the national team that competed during the country’s first participation in the Southeast Asian Games back in 1987 in Indonesia.
A good friend of the late ex-Philippine Olympic Committee president and former PFA chief Celso Dayrit, Gacuma will work hand-in-hand with other elected officers in helping keep the fencing’s programs alive.
Also elected were Atty. Michael Abundo as chairman and Jean Gonzales as vice-president. Leah Gonzales remained as secretary-general.
Gomez will stay on as an official of the PFA, after he and Carlos Dayrit were elected as board members, in polls witnessed by Philippines Olympic Committee representative Carl Sambrano of skateboard.
Gacuma served as auditor in the 1990s under the leadership of Dayrit. He had a brief stint as secretary-general back in 2019 during the country’s hosting of the SEA Games.
Gacuma’s first official event as the new president of the PFA is the Dr. Celso Dayrit Memorial Fencing Championships on November 18 and 19 at the Ayala Malls by the Bay in Macapagal, Pasay City.
The event serves as the ninth and final leg of ranking in the Cadet and Junior’s competition, as well as Under-12 meet in all three weapons for men’s and women’s categories.