BUSINESSMAN Manny V. Pangilinan expressed confidence that the Philippine men�s football team better known as �Azkals� would soon belong to the top three football teams in Southeast Asia. Pangilinan is set to make formal a 10-year support program for Philippine football amounting to a P80 million.
Pangilinan, who led the unveiling of the MVP Sports Foundation Inc. at the Meralco Multipurpose Hall Friday evening, said that he is not giving away a huge amount of money for nothing but for the goal of making the Philippine football team among the top three teams in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region.
�For football, the goal is to be in the top 3 in Southeast Asia. Why? We�ve lost to the top team Indonesia, 1- 0, twice. That�s not a fluke. This gives me reason to believe we can be among the best in the region,� said Pangilinan.
Also present in the occasion was Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President Mariano Araneta as well as some members of the Azkals.
He said that under an agreement with the PFF, they will be funding the Azkals campaigns in various international tournaments and will help bankroll the formation of a Filipino premiere football league to provide opportunities of exposure to local players.
�The time is certainly ripe for us to appreciate, love and support this universally loved sports of football. Thanks to the PFF and our premier football team Azkals, we have come to realize that Filipinos can be competitive in this sport,� stressed Pangilinan.
Besides football, the MVP sports foundation will also be supporting seven other sports including basketball, boxing, cycling, tae kwon do, badminton, tennis and running.
FRANK CALAPRE
Manila Times
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