MANILA, Philippines - With the desire to train potential football players and at the same time raise funds to build new classrooms, Globe Telecom through its sports ambassador Emelio “Chieffy†Caligdong held a football festival in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo Feb. 22-24.
Dubbed “Globe Football Para Sa Bayan,†the annual football competition was participated in by more than 1,000 students, ages 6-16, from at least 10 public and private schools in Iloilo.
Another component of the festival is the football clinics conducted by Chieffy, who aside from being the left winger for Green Archers United Globe is also considered a Philippine football hero. Proceeds of the football clinics and tournament will benefit Ten Moves.
Ten Moves is a social mobilization campaign of Bayanihang Pampaaralan which aims to raise enough resources to help build 10,000 classrooms in public schools nationwide. It is being spearheaded by the League of Corporate Foundations and the Philippine Business for Social Progress in partnership with the Department of Education to address the classroom backlog in the country.
“In lieu of tuition fees for those who will enroll their kids in the football clinics, we asked the parents for pledges to Ten Moves. Hopefully, this program will snowball into a replication in other cities. We are very proud to have Chieffy to drive the company’s advocacy on sports development and advancement, specifically in leading and conducting football clinics in the grassroots level,†said Rob Nazal, Globe head for corporate social responsibility.
“This is a very significant and noble cause which I really want to be part of and I’m glad for the opportunity to help in providing classrooms for our school children, †said Caligdong.
Globe Football sa Bayan also serves as the training ground for up-and-coming local football players as well as for those set to compete at the Palarong Pambansa.