'Ang football walang pinipili,' as Azkals play peace envoys

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF), the Philippine Azkals and the Philippine Malditas showed kids in a previously conflict-ridden town how to promote peace through football, saying that the sport does not need any requirements at all to be enjoyed. “Walang pinipili ang football. Hindi po sinasabi ng football ‘o, bago ka maglaro, dapat ganito ka,’ ‘o, bago ka maglaro dapat meron ka nito,’ ‘o, dapat ito relihiyon mo. Hindi po hinihingi ng football iyon,” PFF Marketing and Communications head Ebong Joson said on Tuesday. Joson was addressing hundreds of people in the covered court of Aleosan town in North Cotabato. Many of them had been forcibly evacuated from their town in the past as a result of fighting between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2008. The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) has shown efforts to promote peace through its so-called peace ambassadors, which include the Azkals. Early this year, OPAPP named the Azkals as peace ambassadors as part of their initiative to tap well-known Philippine personalities to engage in peace efforts There have been major developments in peace efforts in Mindanao, with the recent signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the previously warring government and MILF. The deal is seen as a step in promoting lasting peace and better economic development in Mindanao. In relation to the peace deal, the opportunity to promote the message of peace through different avenues--such as football--are being utilized. “Sa araw na ito, ating itanghal bilang simbolo ng kapayapaan at kaligayahan ang simpleng bola ng football,” Joson said. He noted that only two Azkals were at the event as the rest of the team is currently practicing for this year’s AFF Suzuki Cup. The Azkals members who were there, Roel Gener and Nestorio Margarse, showed some of their skills to the children, accompanied by Ashley O'Connor of the Malditas, the country’s women’s football team. Aleosan Mayor Loreto Cabaya, Jr. meanwhile said the donated balls are a way to show that childhood in their once conflict-ridden town has not been forgotten. “Kasi kapag nakita mo ang bola, isang bola, whether pang-football ‘yan, baseball, basketball--sa mga bata doon sa affected na area [may epekto ‘yan],” Cabaya said. He noted that some children there do not even have marbles to play with. He also said footballs are just metaphors as to the reason why the football players were there, which was to promote peace efforts. “Although hindi pa nila alam ang basic na rules of the game, [they] have balls coming from the Azkals telling you ‘we are here because of peace,’” Cabaya said. “The gesture itself... is one thing na siguro ite-treasure ng mga bata.” Out of an estimated 200 football donations, two each were given to 19 barangays and nine schools in Aleosan. Hanz, an 11-year-old boy and one of the many children at the covered court, expressed his happiness over the news of his town being given new footballs. He said he does not know how to play football, but he wants to learn how. A football clinic for the children of Aleosan was also mentioned in the event as something to be proposed, although there are no definite details yet on the event. Other activities conducted at the peace event were feeding programs for several children, free medical check-ups, and haircuts.  - AMD, GMA News