58 teams vie in Calamba soccerfest

MANILA, Philippines - A grassroots development program, sanctioned by the Philippine Football Federation and recognized  by the Federation Internationale de Football Association) starts a year-round football activities in Calamba City Feb. 9-12.

The program as announced by Calamba City Mayor Joaquin Chipeco Jr,, is a four-leg series in the boys 9-under, 13-under and 17-under categories and girls 17-under level spread until December this year.

The opening leg, the JMC (Join in Making Champions) Calamba Football Cup, will be participated in by some 660 players representing 58 school teams from the public and private schools within the city, Chipeco said during yesterday’s SCOOP Sa Kamayan weekly session at the Kamayan Restaurant-Padre Faura.

“The program is actually a revival of the “Kasibulan” program of the PFF that produced a number of players that earned membership in the past and present national teams, “ Chipeco told his audience during the session, sponsored by Coca-Cola Export, FILA and UNTV.

The three-day event, with no less than the Prince of Jordan, Prince Ali Bin Al-Husseini, who is also the vice president of FIFA) as guest of honor, will also include a coaches workshop to be conducted by the PFF in coordination with the Laguna Football Association.  

Prince Al-Husseini will formally launch the year-long program, officially called the Calamba Football Festival, as part of FIFA’s grassroots program.

Former Sen. Joey Lina, president of the Manila Hotel and a former Laguna governor who accompanied Chipeco in the forum along with Congressman Timmy Chipeco, PFF grassroots development head Chito Manuel and Laguna Football Association president Jun Pacificador, said the program is in line with President Aquino’s call for the public and private sectors to united in any and all undertaking.

“Ito ang sagot ng Laguna sa panawagan ni P-Noy na tayong mga Pilipino ay magkapit-bisig tugno sa tagumpay ng anumang undertaking, in this particular case, sports,” Lina also a former secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government and president of the Calamba Football Festival, Inc., said.

“Walang magtatagumpay kung walang tulungan. Sa sports, walang magtatagumpay kung walang grass root program sapagkat sa ating kabataan an gating magiging source na talent na ating made-develop para sa ating national teams,” Lina stressed.  

“Sabi ng ni Dr. Jose Rizal, ang ating Pambansang Bayani na tubong Laguna, ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan,” he said. “That’s why I am very happy to be part of the program para isulong ang sports, particularly football, at simulan sa Calamba.”

Mayor Chipeco said the program, which includes the Calamba-Laguna Invitational Cup in April, the Calamba National Cup in July and culminating in the Calamba International Cup in December is the “Unang Sigaw Para sa Putbol.”

Calamba’s sister cities in Asia as Kuala Lumpir, Taipei, Seoul and those in thedifferent parts of Europe will be invited in the December International Cup.

Congressman Chipeco, son of the Calamba Mayor, for his part, said unlike the ‘Kasibluan” program, which went in hibernation in 2005 after some five years in existence, Calamba Football Festival is designed to be held annually.

“This will not be a ‘ningas-kugon’ type of program because as Secretary Lina said, the project is a combined effort by the local government in cooperation with the private sector and, therefore, sustainable” the Laguna lawmaker said.