Football for peace in Mindanao

A football competition for a peace cause?

The German Development Cooperation (GTZ) and the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) hope to achieve it as they joined hands in organizing youth football matches in Mindanao.

German Ambassador to the Philippines Herbert Jess and PFF president Rene Adad are spearheading the project aimed at breaking political and cultural barriers by playing the game of football.

Tapped to make the undertaking possible is the PFF’s grassroots development program called KASIBULAN 6-12 under its chairman Juan Miguel Romualdez, who is being assisted by German football development expert Bernd Fischer.

"We definitely would like to share the German’s experience with football to the Philippines, especially the people from Southern Philippines," said Jess, appearing in yesterday’s PSA Forum at the Holiday Inn Hotel along with Adad, Romualdez and Fischer.

"Football basically teaches how to create team spirit and togetherness, components which could somehow solve the peace problem in your country," stressed Jess in the same forum sponsored by Agfa Colors, Red Bull and Pioneer Insurance.

As starters, the area of Tubod Baroy in Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga City and Cotabato were identified as launching pads for the competitions, which would subsequently expand to a total of 15 localities.

Now on its fourth year, KASIBULAN was established through the financial assistance given by FIFA, the world’s governing body for football, and the sponsorship of Milo and Adidas before linking up with GTZ for the noble project.

Other than achieving peace in Mindanao, the program also aims at further developing football in the country, the ultimate objective of which is to improve the performance of the national team in international competitions.

"For that to happen, we need to build the foundation which is why the PFF has embarked on its own grassroots development program," said Adad.

And the country couldn’t have a perfect football partner than Germany, according to Adad.