Edwin Gastanes Explained

Edwin B. Gastanes
Birth Place:	Philippines
Nationality:	Filipino
Occupation:	Lawyer, General Secretary of the Philippine Football Federation and the Secretary General of the Philippine Olympic Committee

Edwin B. Gastanes is a Filipino lawyer and sports administrator who the former general secretary of the Philippine Olympic Committee from 2019 to 2023. He was also the secretary genera of the Philippine Football Federation from 2013 to 2023.

Education

He attended the Manuel L. Quezon University where he took his pre-law degree in 1981. He obtained his bachelors of laws degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law in 1986 and passed the bar examination the following year.

Sports administration

Philippine Football Federation

Gastanes was appointed as general secretary of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) on February 15, 2013.^[1] He was tapped by PFF President Mariano Araneta to help manage the sports body.^[2] He resigned on September 30, 2023.^[3]

Philippine Olympic Committee

Gastanes was named secretary general of the Philippine Olympic Committee on August 8, 2019.^[4] His resignation from the PFF in 2023, automatically made him ineligible to continue serving his position as POC general secretary. He was succeeded by Wharton Chan.^[5]

AFC and AFF

He was initially appointed as the Member of the AFC Legal Committee for the term 2013 until 2015.^[6] Then he was appointed as the chairman of the ad-hoc AFC Electoral Committee during the 26th AFC Congress held in Manama, Bahrain.^[7] He went on become the Deputy Chairperson of the AFC Legal Committee for the term 2015 to 2019, and currently he sits as Member of the AFC Legal Committee for the term 2019 until 2023.^[8] He also served as Alternate Council Member of the AESAN Football Federation for the term 2019 to 2023.

Legal career

He worked for the law firm Ponce Enrile Reyes & Manalastas Law Offices (PECABAR).^[9]

Political career

Hailing from the province of Palawan, considered as the last frontier of the Philippines, Gastanes made two unsuccessful attempts to get elected as a representative of the province's 2nd district in the House of Representatives, in 2004 and 2022. His platform includes a focus on agriculture and strict regulations of the local mining industry.^{[10] [11]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gastanes appointed Philippine General Secretary . Asian Football Confederation . 31 December 2022 . en.
2. News: Guerrero . Bob . POC violates Olympic Charter in denying U23 Azkals SEAG stint – PFF Gen Sec . 31 December 2022 . Yahoo! Philippines . 25 October 2013 . en-PH.
3. News: Suing . Ivan . PFF old hand Coco Torre appointed general secretary. 3 October 2023 . Daily Tribune . 2 October 2023.
4. Web site: Atty. Edwin Gastanes Named POC Secretary General . Philippine Football Federation . 31 December 2022 . 13 August 2019.
5. News: Wharton Chan tapped as new POC secretary-general . 18 October 2023 . ABS-CBN News . 17 October 2023.
6. Web site: Philippine Olympic Committee: ANOC . Association of National Olympic Committees . 20 January 2023 . en.
7. Web site: Q&A: Edwin B. Gastanes, AFC Electoral Committee Chairman . Asian Football Confederation . 20 January 2023 . en.
8. Web site: Legal Committee the-AFC.com . Asian Football Confederation . 20 January 2023 . en.
9. Web site: Ponce Enrile Reyes & Manalastas Law Offices . Ponce Enrile Reyes & Manalastas Law Offices . https://web.archive.org/web/20021226042434/http://www.pecabar.ph/Partners.htm . 20 January 2023 . December 26, 2002 . en.
10. News: Ganancial . Rachel . Gastanes offers self as option to southern Palawan . 31 December 2022 . Palawan News . 9 February 2022.
11. News: PROFILE: Edwin Gastanes Candidate for Member, House Of Representatives - 2022 elections . 31 December 2022 . PHVote . Rappler . en.