Cojuangco decries PFF’s SEA Games blunders

MANILA, Philippines — On the eve of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) elections, former Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) president and now Tarlac congressman Carlos “Charlie” Cojuangco expressed alarm over how PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta has mishandled the sport’s preparations for hosting the Southeast Asian Games.

Football was the first sport beset by problems in the coordination of transportation, food, accommodations and practice facilities as participating foreign teams arrived early for their matches. 

At a dinner he hosted for the media Tuesday evening, Cojuangco called out Araneta for disappearing as official apologies were being made for the multiple embarrassing problems plaguing SEA Games football. Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) head and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano faced the foreign delegations to make amends with PFF general secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes.

“The PHISGOC is handling everything, yes, but the PFF also carries the responsibility to make sure everything was in order for football,” said Cojuangco. “You are the president of Philippine football. You are the host. Why send an underling? Are you only there front and center when everything is okay?”

Cojuangco adds that the PFF under Araneta has merely settled on showcase events in lieu of real development, and has been overly dependent on funds from FIFA, football’s world governing body.

“The national team is not the only football team the PFF should be involved in. Foreign-born athletes are just a temporary solution. Let’s stop pretending to be a Third World country. Football festivals are not a substitute for a real development program,” said Cojuangco, youngest son of business tycoon Eduardo “Danding “ Cojuangco Jr. “The building blocks should be grassroots development, and here, Araneta has been found sorely wanting.”

The Tarlac football patron stressed that grassroots development in the sport has suffered during Araneta’s nine-year run, and said that the programs Araneta is now promising in his election campaign should have been initiated years ago. Araneta is seeking a third term and is running against Ricardo “Ricky”Yanson Jr., Cojuangco’s successor as NOFA president, in the PFF elections on Nov. 29. Cojuangco claimed that Araneta even received an award from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for successes achieved by NOFA under Yanson. In the last four years, PFF has had only one age-group tournament while Yanson runs boys’ and girls’ age-group competitions year-round.

Thirty-two regional representatives are expected to vote in tomorrow’s PFF election.