MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Football Federation is looking at building a football pitch in Mindanao under the International Football Federation (FIFA) grant hoping the move will create a bigger base for Philippine football and encourage grassroots development for the sport.
PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta told the Bulletin yesterday that the association is now looking for a viable site.
The construction of the regular pitch will be financed through the Goal Project 5 of FIFA, which will grant the Philippines a $500,000 (P21.7 million) donation for the purpose.
To get approval of the FIFA grant, the PFF must find a donor of a land who will allow the association to use it for at least 30 years for free.
“We have already sent letters to the football associations in Mindanao asking them if they are interested to have the pitch and if they could find a donor for the land,” Araneta said yesterday, adding that the PFF has given them until March 20 to reply.
Bukidnon and Davao are the leading candidates for the football pitch.
Araneta said he’s hoping to find a donor within the next few months or before FIFA holds a meeting on Goal Project proposals in October, so a Memorandum of Agreement can be signed.
The announcement of a possible Mindanao pitch came a day after FIFA approved the PFF’s proposal to build an artificial pitch in Parañaque City in a 4.5-hectare of land donated by El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde.
Manila Bulletin
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maybe Senator Zubiri wants to donate
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