Monico to push for Vis-Min Open football

MANILA, Philippines - FIFA’s newly appointed director for marketing and television committee Monico Puentevella will push for the establishment of the Visayas-Mindanao Football Open to widen the base of talents and at the same time sustain the gains of the sport the last two years.

“While the United Football League is doing a good job in Manila, this will be another medium where top level competition among the provinces, which used to dominate the country’s national program, will be sustained and continue to produce top-notch players in coordination with the PFF’s national grassroots program under president Mariano Araneta,” Puentevella said.

The Visayas-Mindanao Football Open, according to Puentevella, will help encourage Negros, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Cebu, Davao and other cities/provinces to seek private support for their respective squads for the PFF/Smart football development program.

He also cited football aces like the Caligdongs, Aranetas, Tonogs, Broces, Fegideros, Bedias and the late Chris Monfort, all hail from the Ilonggo provinces while Mindanao also has had its share of players with the national teams.

“We cannot continue to rely on our blood brothers from abroad. This is the lesson we learned unfortunately in the recent SEA Games in Indonesia. As far as developmental programs are concerned, we are just at par with Brunei, Myanmar, Laos, Bangladesh, etc.

“But the main difference is, football is their only and main national sport priority, while we have plenty at hand,” said Puentevella.

“Cebu notified us that they are ready anytime while the Yanson brothers of Bacolod just became champions this week of the Governors Cup. I am sure the other provinces would want to join the tournament owing to the recent surge of the Azkals’ popularity in the country. Smart has signified its intention to be one, if not the main sponsor, of this proposed tournament,” Puentevella said.

The FIFA executive also believes that the highlight for the year will be the ultimate challenge between the UFL champion against the Vis-Min champion on a home and away basis.

“I guess this is a task Nonong wants me to pursue in FIFA aside from the GOAL Project among others,” he said.

Puentevella was nominated recently to the FIFA board by its president Joseph Blatter and is the only Filipino officer of FIFA for the next four years in Zurich, Switzerland. 

The Philippine Olympic Committee chairman was also a FIFA media committee member several years ago during the term of then PFF president Rene Adad until he joined the Congress. 

Prior to this, he was also PFF executive vice president to IOC representative Frank Elizalde and Col. Lope Pascual. As president of the Negros Occidental Football Association for 12 years, the province garnered several National Open championships, including the popular Coke Go for Goal tournaments.