Former Commissioner Jun Bernardino is Dead!!!!!

Philippines
March 24, 2007 9:21am CST
Former PBA Commissioner Emilio "Jun" Bernardino Jr. died of heart attack the morning of March 24 at the Makati Medical Center in Makati City, MM, Philippines. He is 59 years old. Jun B, aka Kume (slang for commissioner), became PBA commissioner for 9 seasons, from 1994-2002, the longest term for a commissioner in the 32 year-old league. It was during his term that the all-time record gate receipts and sales was achieved in 1996, the same year that the Alaska Aces won the last grand slam of the league using a three-tournament format (It was during the term of his successor, current PBA Commish Noli Eala that a PBA season was changed to a two-tournament format). He became commissioner in 1994 at 46, and resigned in 2002 at 54 due to his first heart attack on April 30. Eala said that the league was deeply saddened by the sudden demise of Bernardino. In fact, he would have been a choice for the executive director of the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas because of his hard work as a commissioner for PBA, the Shakey's V-League (an inter-school volleyball league), and the Champions' League (the Philippine version of the US NCAA's March Madness). PLDT and SBP President Manny Pangilinan and former PBA player, now Coca-Cola Tigers manager Allan Caidic both shared the effect of Jun B's death, a big loss for Philippine basketball. Because of this, Eala advised the ten PBA teams to wear black sweatbands to give tribute to Bernardino. For you, what do you think is the effect of Jun Bernardino's demise to Philippine sports? Is he a big loss to the local basketball scene, as what Caidic and Pangilinan mentioned?
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