PFF PRESIDENT WELCOMES MVP?S P80M INVESTMENT IN FOOTBALL
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 01 Feb 2011
Marian Araneta.
Philippine Football Federation president Mariano ?Nonong? Araneta says he welcomes the support of business tycoon Manny Pangilinan who has committed P80 million in a ten-year development program for football.
Araneta told the Inquirer that ?anything that comes to the PFF is a good indication that we have some partners? in developing the sport even as he stressed that ?anybody is welcome and we are so happy that money is coming in.?
The PFF president said that ?based on our initial talk? with Smart Sports head Pato Gregorio, P3.5 million out of the annual outlay of P8 million will go to the club championships and the rest will go to the program.? However, Araneta indicated the specific details of the program have to be worked out.
Araneta said there is a move to create a premier league which would allow other teams to join the teams currently competing in Manila as well as club teams in the provinces which would be ?given subsidies.?
He said the subsidies ?will depend on the number of teams and it's not going to be a dole-out and there will be a tournament committee to take of that.? Araneta vowed that ?we will see to it that the money that?s spent, is spent well.?
The huge boost for football which has suddenly captured the public?s imagination and support was announced last Saturday by Smart Sports head Pato Gregorio who presented the program to the board of governors of the Philippine Football Federation in Cebu on Saturday.
Gregorio disclosed that Smart was keen on starting a Philippine Premier League while at the same time extending support to the AZKALS national team. He said that the plan would probably see a PBA-style draft in which the members of the Azkals would be distributed to the competing teams to help raise the quality of the game and maintain competitive balance.
The Smart Sports executive who is regarded as a top marketing man who also handles special projects told the Inquirer that Pangilinan was ?excited to support football? in addition to his substantial support for basketball, boxing, taekwondo and tennis among other sports. Gregorio said PLDT-Smart would support the Philippines-Japan Davis Cup tie to be played at Plantation Bay in Lapu Lapu City in the first weekend of March.
Gregorio said that initially several Pangilinan-owned companies are expected to sponsor teams in the Philippines Premier League. He identified the companies as Meralco, Maynilad, Smart and Cignal TV.
It will be recalled that after the Azkals gallant stand in the semi finals of the AFC Suzuki Cup in Indonesia, they were hosted at a luncheon by PLDT-Smart at which Pangilinan presented the team through manager Dan Palami a P1 million incentive which was just the beginning.
Gregorio mentioned the need for all parties including local governments to work together to build decent football facilities which is the one thing newly appointed German coach Michael Weiss said is essential for the development of the sport.
The Smart executive indicated that they expect an agreement between Pangilinan and the PFF under president Mariano ?Nonong? Araneta to be finalized quickly, hopefully before the end of this week.
Gregorio disclosed that the MVP Sports Foundation ? Goal Pilipinas -will be launched on February 11 at the Meralco multi-purpose hall.
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