Jun Bernardino | |
|---|---|
 Bernardino in 2000 | |
| 5th Commissioner of the PBA | |
| In office January 14, 1994 – December 31, 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Rey Marquez |
| Succeeded by | Noli Eala |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Emilio P. Bernardino, Jr. (1947-11-09)November 9, 1947 Philippines |
| Died | March 3, 2007 (2007-03-04) (aged 59) |
| Occupation | Sideline reporter, Sports executive |
Emilio "Jun" Bernardino, Jr. (November 9, 1947 – March 24, 2007) was the fifth commissioner of thePhilippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was elected as commissioner of the league in1994 and retired in2002. He served as the commissioner of theShakey's V-League and of the2006-07 season of theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (Philippines).
Bernardino was a member of theAteneo de Manila High SchoolBlue Eaglets basketball team. He played collegiate ball for theUniversity of the Philippines, DilimanFighting Maroons, and graduated with a degree in Sports Management.
Bernardino rose through the ranks of the Philippine Basketball Association during the 1970s and 1980s. At first, he was with the coverage team ofVintage Sports and later became the Executive Director of the league.
In 1994, he became the fifth commissioner of the PBA replacing Rey Marquez. Bernardino presided the league during the title reigns of theSunkist Orange Juicers,Alaska Milkmen and resurgence of theGinebra San Miguel franchise from 1994 to 1998.
However, with the rise of the newly formedMetropolitan Basketball Association in 1998, a regional-based professional league, Bernardino implemented a direct Filipino-American (Fil-Am) rule for each team for the 1999 season. This led to easy signing of players such asAsi Taulava,Danny Seigle andEric Menk. But, this led to the league entering into controversies of alleged fake Filipino-American players. The PBA had strict rules in which only Filipinos were allowed to play as locals, other nationalities were allowed to play as "imports" and only on designated tournaments, with teams only recruiting one import on their roster.
In 2000, rules were implemented on not allowing alleged Fil-Shams (non-Filipinos posing as Filipinos) to play until their cases are resolved. Two incidents happened during the season. The first one surrounded on-court controversy, as Tanduay fielded an already questioned fil-am Earl Sonny Alvarado in Games Two and Three of the All-Filipino Cup semifinal series against thePurefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs, despite the league's warning. Without Alvarado in Game 1, the Rhum Masters won,[1] and defeated Purefoods in Games 2 and 3 to sweep the series.[2] However, with Alvarado found fake and was deported, Bernardino nullify Tanduay's two victories with Alvarado, resulting in a RTO order, later dropped, by team management.[3]
Later that year, he suspended players indefinitely those who have not prove their Filipino citizenship that began in the2000 Commissioners Cup. Those suspended wereDanny Seigle, Chris Jackson, Rudy Hatfield and Menk, among others. However, Menk would suffer the worst as he spend more than a year to prove his case until the latter stages of the 2001 season.
In Bernardino's latter years in the PBA, two expansion franchises,Tanduay andRed Bull entered the league in 1999 and 2000, respectively, bringing the league number from eight to 10. TheSan Miguel Beermen rose into power as the league's new dynasty, winning five titles in two seasons.
In 2001, Bernardino went through minor health problems and was forced to temporarily hand the reins to deputy commissioner Sonny Barrios to recuperate. In 2002, he announced that he was stepping aside as commissioner after the end of the season. His successor was Viva TV sports anchor and lawyer,Noli Eala.
In 2004, Bernardino, along with Ricky Palou and other former PBA executives, formed Sports Vision Management and was responsible for the formation of the school-themedShakey's V-League that began in 2004.
In 2006, he was the commissioner of the82nd NCAA season, the first time in four years he was commissioner of a basketball tournament.
He was also considered to be the executive director of theSamahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
Jun Bernardino died at 1:30 a.m. on March 24, 2007 at theMakati Medical Center, from a heart attack after organizing a surprise birthday celebration for Philippine basketball pioneerMoying Martelino.[4][5]
As a tribute to Bernardino, the league renamed the Perpetual Trophy, the award given to the champions of thePBA Philippine Cup as theJun Bernardino Trophy. All 10 teams also worn a black patch in their uniforms during the2007 PBA Fiesta Conference as a tribute while commemorating the life and times of the late commissioner in a tribute during thePBA Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
The Shakey's V-League also paid tribute to Bernardino during the opening rites of the tournament in May.
| Preceded by | PBA Commissioner 1993–2002 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Philippine NCAA basketball Commissioner 2006 | Succeeded by |