Daily football activities in the Philippines

I was appointed as Head of Youth Development for the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) in March this year. Immediately after taking charge, we launched two programmes, the Centre of Excellence (COE) and the Training Area of Development (TAD), similar to the training centre system in Japan, and started activities in June after selecting players from the end of April to May. I started the project with limited information about the Philippines, so there was a lot of confusion at first, but I am gradually making adjustments as I deepened my understanding of the current situation surrounding football in the Philippines.

In terms of my actual involvement in the activities, I provide training programmes for the coaches, give advice on the pitch and work directly with the players when necessary. The people here are very positive and kind, and the staff, coaches and players are always smiling and supportive, and I am learning a lot from them on a daily basis.

The Philippines consists of three main regions: “Luzon,” where the capital Manila is located; “Visayas,” where Cebu Island is located and is visited by many Japanese tourists and study-abroad students; and “Mindanao,” the southern tip of the country near Indonesia. This year, we started with COE in Manila three times a week, followed by TAD in Cebu once a week. Next year, we plan to launch TADs in Davao and two other locations in Mindanao, with plans to increase the number of TADs nationwide in the future. Through these two programmes, we aim to identify, develop and promote talented players and coaches from each region to the national team, thereby raising the standard of Philippine football as a whole.

The potential of Philippine football

There is a wide range of players in the Philippines, from players with great physicality and athleticism to smaller but players with agility and excellent technique. Players from each region have distinctive characteristics that can be used effectively in different positions, giving the Philippines great potential for success in football.

Although football is not currently the most popular sport in the Philippines, the success of the Philippines Women’s National Team at this year's FIFA Women's World Cup™ seems to have sparked an interest in the game.

I will continue to strive and contribute to the development of football in the Philippines by exploring the best ways for this country to improve the popularity of the game, the development of youth players and the education of coaches.