[ad_1]
The FANS continued to be puzzled by the coaching setup at TNT, where the title of head coach belongs to Bong Ravena despite active consultant Mark Dickel making the decisions for Tropang Giga.
The confusion has inevitably generated nasty comments, even more so whenever Ravenna participates in post-game press conferences, which, to be fair, is part of his duties as the officially appointed head coach of the Tropang Giga.
Ravena and Dickel became head coach and active consultant, respectively, following Nash Racela’s departure in 2018. They have led the franchise to two finals appearances so far, including the ongoing Philippine Cup against Barangay Geneva.
Continue reading below ↓
Recommended Videos
For those who don’t know yet, TNT had no choice but to adopt the setup, as Dickel is unable to take over the position of “head coach” due to a 2002 Court of Appeals ruling that foreign coaches are covered by Article 40 of the Labor Code.
The article says the following:
“Any foreigner who wishes to be admitted to the Philippines for employment purposes and any national or foreign employer who wishes to hire a foreigner to work in the Philippines must obtain a work permit from the Department of Labor.
“The work permit can be issued to a non-resident alien or to the applicant employer after a determination of the unavailability of a person in the Philippines who is competent, capable and willing at the time of application to provide services for the which the alien is desired “.
In simple terms, Dickel cannot get a work permit from the Department of Labor because there is a Filipino trainer capable of performing his duties.
SEE ALSO
The Philippine Basketball Coaches Association (BCAP) upheld that CA’s decision, which became final and enforceable when it was not challenged before the Supreme Court, becoming the ground on which BCAP positioned itself against foreign coach appointments. in the past like Rajko Toroman (Barako Bull), Todd Purves (San Miguel), and long before people like the great Ron Jacobs (San Miguel), Paul Woolpert and Bill Bayno (both with TnT).
However, the CA rule does not cover the work of consultants, allowing Dickel and, before him, Purves, Toroman and Jacobs for a time to coach in the professional league through a ‘loophole’ in the law.
Jacobs, Tim Cone and Norman Black were later exempted from that law after marrying the Philippines, making them permanent residents with the right to work.
Being a non-resident alien, Dickel, a former member of the New Zealand national team who was recommended for the position by his former coach Tab Baldwin, must obtain a work permit from the Department of Labor in order to train at the PBA. .
SEE ALSO
The BCAP said the rule does not cover the position of head coach of the national team as the job is ‘temporary’, but insisted in the past that it should also cover college basketball, where Baldwin, for example, coaches the Athenaeum in the UAAP.
SEE ALSO
