Ed Picson's passing 'big loss in sports community' says Bambol Tolentino

The PBA said farewell to former sportscaster Ed Picson by holding a moment of silence and final buzzer ceremony before Game 5 of the Governors' Cup Finals. Ivan Saldajeno

By Ivan Saldajeno

QUEZON CITY—Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino said on Wednesday night that the passing of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines President Ed Picson devastated Philippine sports.

"It’s a big loss in [the] sports community," the concurrent Tagaytay mayor said in a statement moments after confirmation of Picson's passing.

Tolentino remembers Picson as one of the Philippine sports' hard workers—all the more when he moved to the ABAP front office.

"He is a hard-working person in boxing whether as president, secretary-general, or executive director. He’s a friend to all, including in the international boxing community," Tolentino further said.

Picson has become a vital presence in Philippine sports since the late 80s as a commentator for the PBA coverage by Vintage Sports.

Picson would still be tapped by TV5 and Solar Sports when they took the PBA broadcasting rights from Vintage during the 2000s, but by the start of the 2010s, Picson retired from calling the game.

The league paid tribute to Picson prior to Game 5 of the Governors' Cup Finals between Ginebra and TNT at the Smart Araneta Coliseum here by holding a moment of silence and a final buzzer ceremony.

Picson delved into boxing as a play-by-play reporter for the first iteration of Blow By Blow during the mid-90s, witnessing the early days of Manny Pacquiao's illustrious career.

Long after he called it a sportscasting career, he joined ABAP and eventually became the president in 2021.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno