Chito Loyzaga

Joaquín "Chito" Cuerva Loyzaga (born August 29, 1958) is a Filipino former professional basketball player and basketball commissioner. He is currently the Athletics Director of the NU Bulldogs in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. He played for the San Beda College in the NCAA before going on to play in the Philippine Basketball Association.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Cuerva and the surname or paternal family name is Loyzaga.
Chito Loyzaga
NU Bulldogs
PositionAthletic director
LeagueUniversity Athletic Association of the Philippines
Personal information
Born (1958-08-28) August 28, 1958
Manila, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolSan Beda College
CollegeSan Beda College
Playing career1981–1993
PositionPower forward / small forward
Number4, 14, 41
Career history
1981YCO-Tanduay
1983Toyota
1984–1985Great Taste
1986–1993Ginebra San Miguel
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men’s basketball
Representing  Philippines
Asian Games
Silver medal – second place1990 BeijingTeam competition

PBA career

In the PBA, Loyzaga played one game for YCO-Tanduay, then migrated to Australia for two years. He came back to play for Toyota in 1983. After Toyota disbanded, Loyzaga moved to Great Taste, where he became part of the team's dynasty of four straight championships. In 1986, he was shipped to Ginebra San Miguel, where he spent all of his last eight seasons in the PBA, winning three championships. A seven-time recipient of the Philippine Basketball Association All-Defensive Team award from 1985 to 1992, Loyzaga made a name for himself as a straight-up defensive stopper, using his heft and quick hands to guard the league's best big men, including the great Ramon Fernandez, and later, Alvin Patrimonio.

He retired from basketball after the 1993 PBA season.[1]

National team career

Loyzaga also played for the Philippines men's national basketball team in the 1990 Asian Games where he distinguished himself by helping limit North Korean center Ri Myung Hun despite a height discrepancy of over a foot and a half between them.

Post-retirement

In 2002, Loyzaga became the fourth commissioner of the Metropolitan Basketball Association.[2] He was also a commissioner and executive director of the Philippine Sports Commission from 2010 to 2012.

In 2013, he served as a basketball commissioner in the 76th Season of the UAAP.[3]

Recently, on April 9, 2015, he was appointed the Athletics Director of the National University for their Bulldogs sports program, replacing Junel Baculi.

Personal life

Loyzaga is the son of Philippine basketball great Carlos Loyzaga and Vicky Cuerva. He and brother Joey Loyzaga became one of the few siblings to play in the PBA, eventually playing with Ginebra San Miguel.

He is married to Ma. Antonia "Toni" Yulo, with whom he has three children, namely: Celina, Jose Joaquin, and Cecilia.[4] Yulo was executive director of the Manila Observatory from 2007 to 2016, and former president of National Resilience Council. In July 2022, she was appointed secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources by President Bongbong Marcos.[5]

References
  1. "Making a difference: Chito Loyzaga is named to the PBA's 40 greatest players". pba.inquirer.net.
  2. "Chito Loyzaga's 'last hurah'". Philippine Headline News Online.
  3. "Loyzaga new UAAP commish". Philstar.com.
  4. "The son of 'the Big Difference' makes a difference". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on 2009-03-06. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  5. "Green warrior: Toni Yulo-Loyzaga among Bongbong Marcos' choices for Environment Secretary". Bilyonaryo. June 25, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
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