Arnie Pasinabo’s bagging the coveted Most Valuable Player award in the just concluded Philippine Football Federation National Men’s Open championship didn’t come as a surprise to his former coach, Mario Ceniza.

“When he was still with us, we knew he was destined for greatness,” said Ceniza, who coached Pasinabo and other gifted youngsters in the vaunted Carmen National School team together with football guru Graeme Mackinnon.

Pasinabo got the MVP award after leading Bacolod City to a tough 2-1 win over the favored two-time defending champion National Capitol Region — which was bannered by 12 Ilonggos — in the championship match.

Aside from Pasinabo, other Bacolod players who got individual awards were Jayson Panhay (best midfielder), Joel Ballo-allo (best defender) and Archie Bayquin (best goalkeeper). NCR’s Ian Araneta, who is from Iloilo, prevented a sweep by taking the best striker award.

In the tough Iloilo-NCR match in the elimination round, Araneta scored the only goal against his hometeam — which was coached by his father.

The 19-year-old Pasinabo, who also suited up for the country in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games (Seag), also blasted the game-winner in the second half, to avenge their team’s loss to NCR last year, 5-4 on a shoot-out.

“He (Pasinabo) is very quick, he has great skills and he has an excellent left foot. He reads the game very well,” said Ceniza.

Ceniza, who also played for the national champion M. Lhuillier in 1988 also in Iloilo, also feels very proud of Pasinabo’s achievement.

“He’s been invited to play in Manila numerous times, but he always declines,” he said.

On the other hand, Mackinnon said of Pasinabo, “He’s a very conscientious player and he gives 100 percent in all his practices.”

Mackinnon and Ceniza coached Pasinabo and the rest of the Carmen boys to numerous local and national titles.

However, in one of its biggest games, the Carmen boys came up short, losing the Coke-Go-For-Goal National Under-16 finals to Iloilo City, in Iloilo.

According to some observers, Pasinabo wasn’t playing well in the finals and seemed distracted.

“I am very excited for him. He has had a few demons from the past to exorcise and I am sure his performances in the Seag and now this MVP in the Nationals will go a long way in doing that.”

In one memorable Seag move, Pasinabo received the ball inside the RP team penalty box and dribbled past the opposing team all the way to the other goal — missing his shot just by a few feet.

FORMER Carmen National School booter Arnie Pasinabo is in football heaven after bagging the Most Valuable Player award in helping Bacolod City win the Philippine Football Federation National Men’s Open Championship in Iloilo City yesterday.
Pasinabo, who also saw action in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games last year, banged in the final goal in Bacolod City’s 2-1 win over a sluggish National Capitol Region — getting back at NCR after losing last year’s title in a shoot out.

Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo, who watched the game, said NCR seemed tired.

“I also heard that yesterday’s (Saturday) game took a toll on them. They had to play 10 minutes extension and had to go through a shoot-out,” Maximo said. “Bacolod played in the first game (Saturday) so they had more time to rest.”

Pasinabo’s teammate, Jayson Panhay, who scored the two goals in their 2-1 win over host Iloilo City in the semifinals, was named the Best Midfielder award while Joel Ballo-allo got the Best Defender award and Archie Bayquin got the Best Goalkeeper citation.

Ian Araneta, who is from Iloilo City but played, along with 11 Ilonggos, for NCR, prevented a sweep by bagging the Best Striker award.

Meanwhile, Asian Football Confederation Women’s Committee deputy chair, Cristy Ramos, finally got her chance to meet the PFF board of governors during the BOG meeting.

According to Maximo, who is a member of the BOG, said Ramos got an invite to talk about the AFC U19 fiasco.

“It’s the proper forum, at least the members have heard her, and not learn about it through media,” he said.

PHILIPPINE Football Federation (PFF) president Johnny Romualdez had his leadership questioned in the PFF Congress yesterday, however, he was saved by a technicality.

“I raised a motion declaring his (Romualdez) position as vacant, but it didn’t push through,” Laguna Football Association president Jun Pacificador told Sun.Star Cebu.

Paragraph five of Article 12 of the PFF constitution states “Only the PFF Congress, by an Absolute majority of the votes of the entire voting membership, may affect amendments, additions to or deletions from the Constitution and By-Laws, remove and replace the PFF President and/or dissolve the PFF upon the recommendation of the Board of Governors.”

According to a BOG member, who requested anonymity, the resolution failed since the Board did not tackle it. “It has to pass through the board first,” he said.

Despite the failure of his motion, Pacificador is content he was able to raise some of the issues the Laguna FA had against Romualdez.

“First the PFF is not following its own rules, they suspend somebody from football and then hire him as consultant, second is there are lapses in the governance of Romualdez. There is this goal project which was suspended for two months but he (Romualdez) didn’t know it was suspended. Third is when he unilaterally decided to cancel the national futsal tournament which was supposed to be hosted by Laguna,” Pacifacador said.

The cancellation happened despite Romualdez reportedly assuring them the event will push through “by hook or by crook.”

“We don’t mind the expense, it’s the humiliation. We negotiated with the provincial government for sponsorships,” he said.

According to Pacificador, these three factors put together resulted “to the Under 19 fiasco” referring to the failure of the country to join the Asian Football Confederation Under-19 after the PFF sent its entry past the deadline.

The PFF blamed “clerical error” for it.

“It clearly shows it’s more than a clerical error. It’s systematic, I hope magising na sila,” he said.

AFC women’s committee deputy chair Cristy Ramos, who broke the U-19 fiasco, is expected to attend the BOG meeting today, to talk about the fiasco.

AFTER the elimination round, its business for National Capitol Region and Bacolod City as they try to hurdle separate foes in Saturday’s semifinal round of the PFF National Men’s Open championship to set up a rematch of last year’s finals.

Bacolod City, defeated North Cotabato, 2-1, on the strength of Arnie Pasenabo’s brilliance in the second half, while homeboy Ian Araneta headed in the lone goal — to bad it was against his hometown Iloilo — to lift NCR 1-0 over the host.

In the semifinal round, Bacolod will face Iloilo while North Cotabato will take on NCR.

Bannered by Mindanao raised Ilonggos, North Cotabato won’t have a hard time communicating with NCR — as the champion is fielding 12 Ilonggos.

Yes 12.

FAVORITEs Bacolod City and National Capitol Region got their second wins in contrasting manners after the second day of the Philippine Football Federation Men’s National Open Championships in Iloilo City.

Nofa squeaked past Zamboanga City, 1-0, while NCR flexed its muscle with 10-0 whitewash of Iligan.

Host Iloilo also gave its homefans something to cheer after a 5-2 win over Baguo while North Cotabto continued its winning ways, beating Masbate, 5-2.

Today, North Cotabato will face Bacolod while Baguio takes on Iligan. Iloilo will also take on defending champion NCR in the final game.

The NCR-Iloilo match has an interesting subplot — NCR has 12 Ilonggos on its team. (from Philfootball.info forums)

here’s the link http://www.philfootball.info/forum/index.php?a=topic&t=338&min=60&num=15

(courtesy of Philfootball.info)

North Cotabato defeated Zamboanga City — touted as this year’s suprise entry, 2-0, Negros Oriental Football Associated (Nofa) has began its quest for a national tittle with a 5-0 rout over Masbate, scoring four goals in the second half.

Defending champion National Capitol Region (NCR) also had an easy win, 4-1 against Baguio while host Iloilo humbled Iligan, 5-0.

Today, Zamboanga takes on Nofa, while Masbate faces North Cotabato at the La Paz Field.

In Group B, NCR will face Iligan at Barotac Neuvo while Iloilo will play Baguio, still at Barotac.

ONE of Asia’s oldest football competitions – the Philippine National Men’s Open Championships – kicks off its 2006 season with favorites National Capitol Region going for its third straight crown in Iloilo City today

Aside from NCR, which will have Southeast Asian Games veterans Ali Borromeo, Chippy Caligdong and Ian Araneta on its line-up, teams who qualified for this year’s edition are last year’s runner-up, Bacolod City, Masbate, Iligan, Zamboanga, North Cotabato and hosts Iloilo City.

The national championship was first staged in 1911, with the All Manila team winning the first crown.

Caligdong’s inclusion in the NCR line-up is sure to ruffle some feathers as he is one of Iloilo’s most famous football sons. Araneta, who saw limited action in the Seag as he was nursing an injury, is also from Iloilo.

Cebu will not have a representative in the national finals for the second straight year, but University of San Jose-REcoletos’ Heinje Ruiz was picked up to beef Bacolod’s team, along with Dumaguete’s striker, Redrick Viliran.

“We have a good chance of defending our title,” NCRFA president Pocholo Borromeo told Sun.Star in an earlier interview.

Bacolod, who will also have Seag campaigner Arnie Pasenabo in its line-up, will miss the services of former RP team member Joshua Fegidero, who is serving out a one-year suspension.

On the other hand, this year’s surprise team is Zamboanga City, who reportedly have some players who are from the Galatasaray reserves and will also have Mark Villon, another Seag veteran.

CHASE. PaBol’s Jovannah Yu plays catch up with the opposing team.

LITTLE CHAMPS. Paref players (L-R) EJ Alvarez, Andoni Ugarte and Igi Maximo. The team won the B95 (11-under) Division of RIFA Cup in Ateneo Field, QC.

GUYS, WHERE ARE YOU? Sabine Veloso takes on four players on his own.

BALL FIGHT. A Springdale player tries to get past his defender.

VICTOR, VANQUISHED. Little Enzo Ceniza celebrates another goal, while the keeper struggles to get up.

WHICH WAY GUYS? TJ Matteo and Paolo Pascual points to an unchecked player.

THE DON Bosco Technological Center (DBTC) came up with a strong statement yesterday, whipping erstwhile undefeated Blessed John XXIII seminary, 7-1, in the Red Ribbon Under 16 football tournament at the San Roque Parish football field.

And it seems, lady luck is also siding with DBTC as the heavy rain poured after their game, forcing officials to abandon the second match between Paref Springdale and San Roque FC with 11 minutes left in the first half, and rescheduling the third match between Bright Academy and Don Bosco Boys Home.

It is the second straight postponement of both games, which was originally scheduled last Feb. 11 but moved to yesterday due to rains.

“Di na pwede, kay mag lutawlutaw na ang bola,” Paref Springdale coach Mario Ceniza said after their match against San Roque FC was abandoned with still 11 minutes to play in the first half.

The third match between Don Bosco Boys Home and Bright Academy was also cancelled.

In the first match, DBTC showed no signs of slowing down with a 7-1 demolition of BJS, a team that once beat them, 1-0, in the elimination round of the Aboitiz Cup last year.

DBTC now joins Hiroshi in the semifinals after topping its group with two wins – scoring seven goals in both wins.

Jonathan Caballero set the pace with a first minute goal while Paul Alcoseba added another in the 23rd minute.

John Peter Abangan got BJS in the game with a goal in the 26th minute before Bernard Buot broke their illusions of leveling the match with an impressive scoring outburst -– scoring a hat trick in a seven-minute span. Buot got his first goal in the 37th and banged in the third a minute before the half for a 5-1 score.

Dexter Dy, and Buot scored the final two goals in the second half for Don Bosco, who recently bagged the secondary football crown in the Don Boscolympics in Pampanga over Don Bosco Victorias.

NATIONAL Capitol Regional Football Association (NCRFA) president Jose Vito “Pocholo” Borromeo -– the man accused by Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Johnny Romualdez as the brains behind the ouster move –- said no one should be punished for speaking his mind.

Borromeo, who was named Men’s football godfather last year, recently met with Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo, Laguna FA head, Arturo Pacificador and Rizal FA president Emilio Tanjuatco.

Romualdez said it was during that meeting that Borromeo talked about the plan to unseat the president through a “vote of no confidence.”

“I was actually surprised when talking to them (fellow presidents), I learned that we shared the same sentiments,” Borromeo said. “Football leaders in other regions know for a fact that the (PFF) leadership is not producing the desired results.

Borromeo denied he is plotting to unseat Romualdez but said he could not keep silent anymore, “because the state of football in the country has gone from bad to worse under his (Romualdez’) watch.”

The NCRFA president also wondered why Romualdez put a political color on a chance meeting with other association presidents last week.

The meeting, which took place at a classy restaurant in Rockwell, did not discuss moves to oust Romualdez, “but make him become a proper president for football in the Philippines.”

“I know for a fact that being president of the PFF is a big responsibility,” Borromeo said. “But if he (Romualdez) cannot do his functions right, then its high time he gave it to someone else who can.

“I’m not interested in his job. I already have my hands full,” Borromeo said. “And I don’t think there is anything wrong with me speaking my mind for the good of Philippine football.”

Part of the president’s functions, Borromeo said, is for the president to be the PFF’s unifying force, and not the one dividing it.

“The country’s various FA presidents install the PFF president, so he should work with us, not against us.”

The NCRFA has been under a “demolition job” from Romualdez, who has been trying to split up the country’s biggest football association, which the late PFF general-secretary Chris Monfort helped put up, for “personal designs.”

In another statement, Romualdez said he wants to break the NCRFA to allow for a wider and deeper development of football and that Borromeo, objected to this move.