Eric Buhain

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Reyes and the surname or paternal family name is Buhain.

Eric Reyes Buhain^[1] (Tagalog: [ˈbuhaʔɪn];^[2] born April 12, 1970)^[3] is a Filipino politician and former competitive swimmer serving as the Representative for Batangas's 1st district since 2022.

Eric Buhain
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Batangas' 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2022
Preceded by	Eileen Ermita-Buhain
Executive Director of the Bureau of Immigration
In office March 15, 2010 – October 2010
President	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Benigno Aquino III
Chairman of the Games and Amusements Board
In office 2005 – March 15, 2010
President	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Succeeded by	Juan Ramon Guanzon (OIC)
6th Chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission
In office 2001–2005
President	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Preceded by	Carlos Tuazon
Succeeded by	Butch Ramirez
Personal details
Born	Joseph Eric Reyes Buhain (1970-04-12) April 12, 1970 (age 52) Manila, Philippines
Political party	Nacionalista (2021–present)
Spouse	Eileen Ermita ​ (m. 1995)​
Education	La Salle University (BS)
Sports career
Country	Philippines
Sport	Aquatics
Medal record Men's aquatics Representing  Philippines Southeast Asian Games Bangkok 1985 400 m individual medley Jakarta 1987 200 m freestyle Jakarta 1987 100 m butterfly Jakarta 1987 200 m butterfly Jakarta 1987 400 m individual medley Kuala Lumpur 1989 200 m individual medley Kuala Lumpur 1989 400 m individual medley Manila 1991 100 m breastroke Manila 1991 100 m butterfly Manila 1991 200 m butterfly Manila 1991 200 m individual medley Manila 1991 400 m individual medley Singapore 1993 100 m butterfly Kuala Lumpur 1989 100 m butterfly Singapore 1993 100 m breastroke Bangkok 1985 4×100 m medley relay Bangkok 1985 200 m backstroke Jakarta 1987 100 m freestyle Jakarta 1987 100 m backstroke Kuala Lumpur 1989 200 m freestyle

He won several medals in the Southeast Asian Games from 1985 to 1993, and participated in the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics. He later became a sports administrator. During the Arroyo administration, he served as chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission, chairman of the Games and Amusements Board, and an executive director of the Bureau of Immigration.

Career

Competitive swimming

Eric ventured into swimming not because he dreamed of winning an Olympic gold medal, but because of his doctor's advice to improve his lungs. Eric was born with primary lung complex. He enrolled in a two-week swimming program at the age of seven. Yet his training was breached by another illness, hepatitis. However, this didn't stop him; a year later he was training again and taking the advance course in swimming, the competitive course, at age nine. It was at this age that he got into the varsity swimming team of De La Salle Santiago Zobel School and vowed to win a gold medal in the sport.

By 1981, he was a member of the Philippine Team and swam in the 400-meter individual medley at age eleven. But it was in his first Southeast Asian Games in 1985, held in Bangkok, Thailand, where he snatched the gold in the same category at the age of fifteen. He participated in the 1988 Summer Olympics and was also chosen as the country's flag bearer for the opening ceremonies.

In the 1989 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Buhain broke one of the existing SEA Games swimming records. In the 1991 Southeast Asian Games, where the Philippines was the host, he made a huge contribution to the gold medal record of the host country by winning most of the events in swimming. He was chosen to represent the Philippines in the 1992 Summer Olympics. He didn't win any medals in that sporting event.

Even though he won several gold medals in the 1993 Southeast Asian Games, Buhain decided to retire from his swimming career. He was disappointed by the poor government management that led to a mediocre performance of the Philippines team in that sporting event.

Sports administration

Buhain spent his early career in sport administration as the national training director of the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (PASA) and president of the Professional Swimming Coaches Academy of the Philippines (ProSCAP).^[3]

In 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Buhain as the chairman of the Philippine Sports Commission after learning of the Philippines poor international ranking in sports. He instituted reforms that led to protests by some commissioners and employees. In 2003, the Philippines increased its rank in the medal tally in the Southeast Asian Games and the country won several medals in the 2002 Asian Games after getting only a bronze medal in the 1998 Asian Games.

Barely six months before the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, he was appointed by President Arroyo as the chairman of the Games and Amusement Board (GAB), a public agency that handles professional sporting and gambling events.

On March 15, 2010, he left the GAB when President Arroyo appointed him as a director of the Bureau of Immigration.^[4]

Politics

In the 2022 elections, Buhain is a candidate for representative of Batangas' 1st district, the seat his wife is scheduled to vacate. He ran against his sister-in-law, Lisa Ermita, and won.^[5]

Personal life

The oldest child of former Bacoor, Cavite municipal vice mayor Cecilia Reyes-Buhain, Eric finished his elementary and secondary education at the De La Salle Santiago Zobel School in Ayala Alabang. In 1991, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in finance at La Salle University in Philadelphia, United States.^[6]

Buhain is the husband of Representative Eileen Ermita-Buhain of the 1st district of Batangas, and the son-in-law of former Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

Honors and awards

• Philippine Sports Hall of Fame: 2021^[7]
• PSA Athlete of the Year: 1987, 1991

References

1. "2022 Elections: Buhain, Eric". Rappler. 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
2. "Eric Buhain, nagbalik-tanaw". People's Television Network (in Tagalog). July 28, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
3. Buhain, Eric; Paglumotan, Alex; Bautista, Angel; Artugue, Ofelina (2006). "Games and Amusements Board Manual of Operations 2006" (PDF). gab.gov.ph. Games and Amusements Board. p. v. (PDF) from the original on June 20, 2019. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
4. . ABS-CBN News. March 21, 2010. Archived from the original on January 25, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
5. . ABS-CBN News. October 2, 2021. Archived from the original on March 11, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
6. dlsaa.com. De La Salle Alumni Association. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
7. Yumol, David Tristan (March 12, 2021). . CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2022.

• Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. . Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2008-09-25.