FORMER Azkals skipper Emelio “Chieffy” Caligdong, in partnership with Pru Life UK, will tour the country starting Saturday to search for future aspiring athletes under the Football For A Better Life camp.
The series of free football clinics and tournaments, which will be inaugurated at Caligdong’s hometown of Barotac Nuevo in Iloilo, will be headed by Chris Thomas, Pru Life UK’s Football for a Better Life grassroots development director.
The program will also reach key provinces and regions, including Pampanga, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Dumaguete, Baguio, Palawan, Davao del Norte, Legazpi and the National Capital Region (NCR).
Caligdong, who appeared in the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at Shakey’s Malate on Tuesday, said he now sees a bright future for the national team with the renewed interest in football.
“After five years, half of the Azkals players are local,” the former Philippine Air Force personnel told the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Accel, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and Shakey’s. The program is being held in cooperation with Globe Telecom and Gawad Kalinga’s “SipaG” program. Caligdong was a product of the Kasibulan grassroots program, a flagship project of the Philippine Football Federation.
Caligdong will be on top of the program that offers clinics, basic skills training, talent identification and scouting until November. Belle Tiongco, chief marketing officer of Pru Life UK Philippines, expressed confidence that the program would produce young talents.
“We are committed to supporting football in the Philippines. We believe in helping the education of the Filipino youth,” Tiongco said. From Barotac Nuevo, the program will go to San Fernando, Pampanga (March 23 and 24), San Carlos City in Negros Occidental (April 22 and 23), Jamindan in Capiz City (May 16 and 17), Dumaguete City (June 13 and 14), Baguio City (July 11 and 12), Palawan (August 22 and 23), Tagum in Davao del Norte (September 19 and 20), Legazpi City (October 10 and 11) and NCR (November 7 and 8).
Diego de la Paz & King Al Mendoza