ROMY Guevarra, an international referee recognized as one of the best games officials in the country, passed away on Tuesday night due to a lingering illness.
He was 89.
Guevarra boasted more than four decades of officiating in basketball, starting his career in the MICAA (Manila Industrial Commercial Athletic Association) and eventually climbing his way up to the PBA, where he served as referee, supervisor of officials, and later consultant.
It was during his stay with Asia’s first ever-play-for play league that he first introduced the three-man referee crew.
He likewise worked in the defunct PABL and in the country’s two major collegiate leagues in UAAP and NCAA.
Guevarra’s expertise was also acknowledged internationally, being one of only two Asian referees who served as delegate to the FIBA Congress on New Rules in the 80s held in London, England.
The Filipino official served as an expat supervisor with the Qatar Basketball Federation for six years, stayed and worked in Bahrain, and in the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok, he was tapped to work the women’s gold-medal game between South Korea and China.
He refereed an estimated 3,000 game and supervised around 17,000 matches in the country and internationally such as Thailand, Malaysia, Bahrain, Taiwan, among others.
His work as the Philippines’ officiating guru was recognized early this year by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) which honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award last February.
The PSA Awards Night was the last public appearance of the late game official.
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