THE PHILLIPPINE Football Federation (PFF) recently released P20,000 each to the 21 football associations as part of its financial assistance, however, Asian Football Confederation women’s committee deputy chairman Cristy Ramos questioned the timing of the dole out.

In an interview, PFF president Johnny Romualdez, said “We decided in one of the BOG (Board of Governors) meeting to extend financial assistance to the FAs (football associations), the amount is not that big.”

“I don’t want to put malice into the release, but is it just a coincidence that the PFF will hold its congress this month?” Ramos said.

The PFF BOG meeting and Congress will be on Feb. 25, at Ilo-ilo City and Romualdez needs the support of each of the FA presidents since he is reportedly facing a “vote of no confidence” charge that could throw him out of office.

Under Article 12 of the PFF by-laws, “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 upon the recommendation of the Board of Governors.”

National Capitol Region Football Association general-secretary Jojo Rodriguez admitted receiving P20,000 from the PFF last Wednesday but had no idea what’s it for, “There was no memo on what to do with it, just that the FAs who haven’t paid their dues to the PFF will have their dues deducted from it.”

Ramos questioned where the PFF is getting the funds since during her time with the Women’s Committee there request for more projects has always been turned down due to “lack of funds.”

“It has sort of become a motto, ‘walang pera’ and now they are doing this? Without any request for liquidation and where it will be spent? Where is the accountability in the PFF? Does that mean that the FA president can just spend it on anyway he wants and the PFF will not know? They are just throwing money away.”

Ramos also took offense in the harsh words of Romualdez against Rodriguez and NCRFA president Poch Borromeo, calling them “Pseudo-footballers who can kick with his insoles” in a statement forwarded to a national paper.

“He can call me a lousy player if he wants, but don’t hide from the issues. We are talking, administrative, management and planning matters here. Besides we are all retired,” she said.

PHILIPPINE Football Federation (PFF) president Johnny Romualdez has apologized to Cebu Football Association head Jonathan Maximo for a ‘misinterpreted statement’ that came out in a national paper early this week.

Last Tuesday, Romualdez accused Maximo of “playing both sides” when he met with other football association presidents to hear their grips against the PFF. Also present in that meeting was Asian Football Confederation women’s committee deputy chair Crisy Ramos, who blasted the PFF for failing to comply with the deadline for the AFC women’s Under-19 championship.

“He texted me twice, saying sorry, na-misinterpret lang daw,” said Maximo.

Romualdez earlier said his words were misinterpreted and what he meant was that Maximo, as a member of the Board of Governors of the PFF, listens to both sides of the story.

However, this reporter received a scanned copy of Romualdez’s statement through e-mail, and in the statement he called the CebuFA president as “someone who plays both sides.” It also identifies Maximo, together with National Capitol Region Football association president Poch Borromeo, and NCRFA general-secretary Jojo Rodriguez as allied with the camp of Bacolod congressman Monico Puentevella, who lost in his bid for the PFF presidency against Romualdez in 2003.

When sought for clarification yesterday, Romualdez reiterated that he was just misinterpreted and what he meant was that Maximo, as a member of the Board of Governors, “listens to both sides of the story.”

Romualdez has earlier accused Borromeo is planning to have call for a “vote of no confidence” to oust him from his post, a charge Borromeo has denied.

“I know they are trying to oust me, and that (vote of no confidence) was spoken about during that meeting,” Romualdez said.

For his part, Graeme Mackinnon, who supported Romualdez’s rival Puentevella in the PFF elections, said, “I spoke with Maxi last week, we discussed this point. In fact, Romualdez admonished him for going to the meeting. Jonathan told him then that this his way of finding out the story from both sides and then making his mind on which path to follow. So for Romualdez to say what he said is actually a brain explosion. And then he turns around later when he sees that he is getting bad press from it he then backtracks.”

Hope you’ve got good eyes. To read the statement, click on it and it transfers you to another page, wait for the cursor to turn into a “+” sign and click on it. It should be large enough even for those who wear glasses.

NATIONAL Capitol Region Football Association president Poch Borromeo denied instigating a move to oust Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Johnny Romualdez from his position through a vote of no confidence when the PFF Congress meets this Feb. 25 in Ilo-ilo City.

“This is not true, he (Romualdez) may have surmised that from the meeting but that was not discussed,” said Borromeo, who’s son Ali played for the national team in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games (Seag).

Borromeo, who was named a godfather for men’s football prior to last year’s Seag admitted that he is not satisfied with Romualdez’s presidency.

“I am not and I have known of that fact to him in the past through text messages, however, most, if not all of the time, my comments do not merit anything from him,’ said Borromeo.

Meanwhile, Romualdez repeated his statement that Borromeo is trying to gather support for a vote of no confidence against him.

“Alam ko nagtatawagan sila, they are trying to entice the provincial football associations to move (against me),” Romualdez told Sun.Star yesterday.

In a report that came out in a national daily, Romualdez accused Borromeo of hosting a meeting with other FA heads to hear Cristy Ramos, who blasted the PFF for missing out on the Asian Football Confederation Under 19.

Among those who were in the meeting were Laguna’s Arturo Pacificador, Rizal’s Emigdio Tanjuatco III and Cebu’s Jonathan Maximo, who the report said was “known to always play both sides.”

Maximo, the Cebu Football Association president took exception of Romualdez statement saying he informed the PFF president that he was to meet with Ramos and that he also talked with Romualdez after the meeting.

“That’s not what I meant, what I meant was that he (Maximo) listen to both sides, which is good because he is a member of the Board of Governor,” Romualdez said.

In an e-mailed statement, Maximo said, “I categorically deny that I am part of a group, if ever it exists, of an alleged plan to oust the PFF President. I hope people will not interpret my attendance in this meeting as something to do with that supposedly ‘oust movement’. That is not my cup of tea. We have too much politics in sports already. They also have to respect the fact that as a member of the PFF BOG, I have the right to hear and listen to any and all stakeholders concerning valid and legitimate issues affecting our Philippine football.”

The Don Bosco Technological Center flash the Number one sign after winning the elementary title over DB Victorias in the 2006 Don Boscolympics in Pampanga. (Contributed foto)

By Kaizer Stevens / pinoysoccer.com

Recently, I asked a wide variety of individuals(ranging from all ages) how they felt about the PFF, specifically the incident between the Philippine Football Federation and Cristy Ramos-Jalasco(the whole AFC tournament application missed deadline debacle). I also asked them what they felt needed to be done to move past this point. For example, should PFF President Johnny Romualdez resign? Here are some of their comments:

(for the rest of the story, go to this site)

http://www.pinoysoccer.com/home/index.php?itemid=364

THE Cebu Football Association (CebuFA) welcomes the move of the Private Schools Athletic Association (Prisaa) to include football in the next year’s Prisaa.

Prisaa national president Gonzalo Duque said he wants to include football in the next edition and also wants to hold competitions for the secondary and elementary level. This proposal though, will have to be presented to the board for approval.

“That’s very good news for football,” CebuFA president Jonathan Maximo said.
With the move, schools will now have more tournaments to join and will have incentives to invest in their football teams instead of concentrating their funds on the usual teams.

“It’s the players and parents who will benefit as schools will now have more reason to invest on there football teams by offering attractive scholarships to players just like what basketball players are enjoying now,” Maximo said.

The decision of Prisaa also fills an empty niche in Philippine football as the Philippine Football Federation doesn’t have a national competition for collegiate teams.

“After the Under-19, its straight to the Men’s Open, so this is a chance for the college teams to compete with other teams in the country and maybe create a rivalry,” Maximo said.

The CebuFA president also said this move by the Prisaa will trickle support down to the secondary and elementary levels.

“Only colleges have football scholars, so maybe this will force high schools and elementary schools to put up football varsities, and the players will have the same benefits as the college students,” he said.

The CebuFA will also send a message of support to Duque, who said there are a lot of football players in Pangasinan where the Prisaa National Meet was just staged.

“Local Cesafi has football but when they go to Prisaa regional there is none because there is no football in the national meet. I look forward to having elementary, high school and tertiary football in Prisaa. Local schools can now look forward to being national champions,” Maximo said.

ASIDE from possible stints in Singapore and Thailand, the Patid Bola Football Academy also got invited to the Dana Cup in Denmark this July.

“This was made possible because we tried to develop linkages with foreign clubs through the PaBol website,” PaBol head and Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo said.

It’s not only invitations for tournaments abroad but offers for foreign clubs and coaches for a series of matches here that Maximo is receiving.

“There is one offer from a Louisiana group, for them to bring a club here in Cebu to play some friendly games, and also to conduct a coaching seminar,” said Maximo.

The offer came from a Fil-American father, whose daughter joined the Women’s Under 19 scrimmage for a couple of days.

“He said he wanted to support us in any way he can,” said Maximo.

Meanwhile for the Singapore Invitational this October, Maximo clarified that the age groups are Under 16 (1990), Under 15 (1991) and Under 14 (1992).

“We could base the composition of the Under 16 team through the Aboitiz Cup Under 15 last year, and for the Under 15, the champion of the Red Ribbon Tournament,” Maximo said.

For the Under 14 age group, Maximo said Cebu can send the team from the Center for Football Excellence, headed by Coach Mario Ceniza.

“These international football invitations, even though these are just plans for the meantime, are the opportunities for local players to join international events and represent Cebu or the country. A lifetime experience, and this only shows that Cebu football is lowly getting to be known internationally,” he said.

IF things push through young footballers in Cebu can get to showcase their skills in two international events in July and October.

The first event is the International Children’s Games in Bangkok, Thailand in July, which the Cebu Football Association (CebuFA) is trying to coordinate with the Cebu City Sports Commission in forming a team and the second is the International Youth Cup in Singapore on Oct. 29 – Nov. 4.

“This is actually the second time they (Singapore) invited us, but last year we didn’t have time to prepare since the invitation came late. This year we got another invitation,” said CebuFA president Jonathan Maximo said.

The invitation was actually coursed through the Patid Bola Football Academy (PaBol), which Maximo also heads but the president will bring the matter to the CebuFA board.

“The invitation is for three age groups, the Under-16, Under-15 and I asked coach Mario (Ceniza) which age group we are strong in Cebu,” Maximo said.

Maximo said that they will try to coordinate with the city government to help fund the team, “So that we can extend the opportunity to everyone.”

However, if the CebuFA can’t get sponsors for the team, they will just have to consider the financial capabilities of the players.

Maximo also said he will course his reply to the Singapore FA through the Philippine Football Federation.

“The PFF will just send it to the Singapore FA so we can also get concessions, like exemption from the travel tax,” Maximo said.

Meanwhile, the Red Ribbon Under 16 Tournament, which the CebuFA is using as a identification process for the potential Cebu City team to the ICG, got cancelled yesterday as the rains rendered the San Roque parish field unplayable.

Don Bosco Technological Center was set to play Blessed John XXII Seminary while Springdale was to play San Roque FC and Bright was to face Don Bosco Boys Home.

All games will be played next Saturday.

FRESH from contrasting campaigns outside Cebu, powerhouse Don Bosco Technological Center (DBTC) and Paref-Springdale go for their second win against separate foes in the Red Ribbon Under 16 Football Tournament at the San Roque parish football field.

DBTC, which won the high school football crown over Don Bosco Victorias during last weekend’s Boscolympics in Pampanga takes on new comer Blessed John XXIII Seminary (BJS) in the opening game before Paref-Springdale faces home team, San Roque FC in the second game at 2 p.m.

If DBTC and Springdale win their matches, they will cruise through the semifinal round along with Hiroshi while the best second-ranked team will get the final spot.

Springdale recently lost in the Rifa Cup 15-under semifinal round before finishing at third last Saturday at the Ateneo de Manila University football grounds.

In the final game, Bright Academy and Don Bosco Boys Home goes for a win against each other. Both teams lost their first matches to Hiroshi FC.

Meanwhile, it’s also a DBTC-Springdale rivalry in the race for the Best Striker award. Evanjames Mendoza of Springdale is tied with Bernard Francis Buot with three goals each, while BJS’ Peter Paul Abangan is second with two goals, along with teammate Marc Vargas, and Hiroshi’s Jethro de los Santos and Miguel Subang.

Aside from the best striker award, other awards to be given in the tournament are the MVP Award, which will be decided by the winning coach, best midfielder, best defender, best goalkeeper and the best in juggling awards.