Former UFO president now certified basketball referee in Canada

Roland Pamintuan, right, poses with a fellow referee in this file photo from one of the games he officiated in Canada.(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO()

Former United Filipino Organization president Roland Pamintuan continued his passion for basketball even though he and his family moved to Canada 15 years ago.

“As a certified and duly licensed basketball referee here in British Columbia, Canada, I am officiating games at all levels on high school tournaments the whole year through from junior and senior varsity games,” he said.

Pamintuan, who used to own R.P. Construction on Saipan, said so far he has officiated games for Provincials 2A and 3A tournaments and have also officiated games on national tournaments. 

“The oldest level I have officiated are on the Kings Men’s League Tournament wherein all the players are former university and college varsity players. I have covered Spring and Summer basketball  games,” said the 55-year-old native of Santa Ana, Pampanga in the Philippines.

As for obtaining his basketball referees certification in Canada, Pamintuan said he attended basketball referees classes at Douglas College sponsored by the British Columbia Basketball Officials Association where he was trained under referees with U.S. NCAA experience. 

Roland Pamintuan with a photo of his family in Canada before his wife and former Bayani Association official Ruby’s passing.(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

“I was licensed and certified under NOC 1 by BCBOA and Canada Basketball Officials Commission in October 2010 and remained an active member up to the present,” he said.

Pamintuan, who is the husband of the late Bayani Association official Ruby, said he just referees basketball games after work and during his days off.

“I am limiting myself to cover 15 games a week. I have not really officiated a game with notable players as I am short on the level of NCAA officiating. The standards of officiating games between Canada and Saipan are basically the same as FIBA rules are implemented,” he said.

As for moving to Canada with his family in 2008, Pamintuan said the primary reason was to be reunited with their son, Roby, who is a former Saipan Tribune sports correspondent who was studying in California at that time.  

Since then, he and his family have built a pretty good life in the Great White North.

“Every work classification here in Canada has to be certified and licensed. I studied building and home inspection at Douglas College and I’m presently connected with Tribes Management as a building maintenance consultant and coordinator. I am also currently working part-time at the UPS Canada Vancouver Hub as AMA Level 3, in charge of payroll and HR processing as well as working at the UPS Plant Engineering and Industrial Engineering operations.”

Pamintuan shared that his better half, Ruby, passed away last year on Oct. 30, but before moving to Canada spent their formative family years on Saipan.

“We were blessed to have stayed on Saipan for 18 years. My most cherished memory of our island life was being blessed to finally marry my wife and start a family in the beautiful island of Saipan.

It was while owning a business on Saipan that Pamintuan won the nomination for most successful Filipino Proprietor and Businessman for the Pinoy Abroad  program of Philippine TV station, GMA 7. This was mainly due to RP Construction being a certified and qualified general contractor for the U.S. government and federally funded projects.

Currently, Pamintuan’s children are all grown up with Roby now 31 years old and working as a sales manager in one of the biggest architectural finish products and moldings suppliers in Canada. 

Ricci, who is 28 years old, is a successful YouTube content creator (Tothe9s) and a business owner.

Pamintuan’s next goal is to fulfill his wife’s wish of visiting Saipan and reunite with old friends and beloved family members.

“To all my families, relatives, friends, former employees, and business associates on Saipan, the priceless memories and island life’s experiences I have shared with you all in the beautiful island of Saipan will always be God’s blessings that I will hold dear in my heart wherever I may be and I sincerely hope that I may be given the opportunity to visit the island once again and get reconnected with its amazing people and once again embrace its wonderful history.”