El Shaddai offers 4.5-hectare lot to host PFF�s P22-million football field

By Mike Limpag

THERE seems to be no end to the bounty the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is getting.

After Smart offered an P80-million, 10-year program to help fund a league, the PFF got another offer, this time, a prime property to house its own pitch.

El Shaddai�s Bro. Mike Velarde has offered a 4.5-hectare property in Para�aque to help build an artificial pitch, which will cost $500,000 (P22 million).

It will be funded by Fifa�s Goal Project.

PFF president Mariano Araneta said yesterday that he and senior and Under 23 team manager Dan Palami, met last Jan. 26 with the El Shaddai leader, who offered the prime lot for the PFF�s use.

�I and Palami met with Brother Mike for an hour last week and he offered us this property where we can construct an artificial pitch subsidized by Fifa Goal Project 4 to the PFF,� Araneta said. �We have seen the property and it is ideal for our requirements. He (Velarde) wanted to formalize the agreement right there and then, but we expect it to be signed within the week.�


Araneta said that Fifa will release the $500,000 once it is inspected and passes the world football body�s specifications.

Among the terms of the deal with Bro. Velarde is a minimum 25-year lease of the area once the artificial pitch is constructed.

He added that the lot, located within one of the subdivisions developed by Velarde�s company, Anvel, is easily accessible and would serve as the permanent training facility of the national football teams.


Palami earlier identified a permanent training venue as one of the needs of the Azkals, who hold their training sessions at the University of Makati.


�Brother Mike also offered an area where the PFF could set up a permament office so that it wouldn�t be far from the pitch,� he said.


He said they would consider the office offer, assuming they can find a buyer for the PFF�s present office building in Pasig City, which cost over P20 million in the lot purchase and construction.


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on February 01, 2011.

Sun Star Cebu