Barotac Nuevo - A slice of football heaven

By BOB GUERRERO

MANILA, Philippines — It is the day after Christmas, and like the Three Kings, Ebong Joson, a.k.a. the Blue Haired Fanatic, and I are on a pilgrimage. We find ourselves in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo province, to soak in the atmosphere of the Philippines’ number one football town.

Barotac Nuevo has produced national team footballers for generations as university football programs regularly recruit thoroughbred players from the small town. Her sons populate the rosters of top club teams. Almost all the notable homegrown Pinoys on the Azkals learned their football growing up there. In a basketball-mad nation, Barotac Nuevo has always been an oasis of the Beautiful Game.

Azkal Ian Araneta planned a youth tournament here in his hometown months ago. He invited superfan Ebong to watch. Ebong invited me. In seconds, I decided to go. In minutes, I had booked my flights online.

Lurix Araneta, Ian’s father, picks me up from the airport. The former national team player is slight of build and soft-spoken, but legend is he was a terrific striker for Army. We chat all throughout the ride from the Iloilo Airport, and in 45 minutes, we arrive.

More : Manila Bulletin

Football reigns in Barotac Nuevo

OLE, OLE, OLE! Azkals striker Ian Araneta (23) and co-captain Emilio “Chieffy” Caligdong (13) lead the national football team play against Central Philippine University mostly composed of South Koreans in an exhibition match at Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo Tuesday. The practice game for the World Cup qualifiers ended in a 1-1 draw. (Photo by Tara Yap)

By Tara Yap

BAROTAC NUEVO, Iloilo – The exhibition game of the Azkals Tuesday proved that football reigns in this town.

“Bisan wala kami inugsulod sa kaldero, basta maka lantaw lang kami football, ok na (We don’t mind our hunger for as long as we can watch football),” the stage announcer said halfway through the friendly game of the famed national football team against Central Philippine University (CPU).

The crowd, mainly natives of Barotac Nuevo, cheered on their very own townmates in the Philippine Azkals.

They proudly boast that star striker Ian Araneta, co-captain Emilio “Chieffy” Caligdong, Mark Ferrer, Roel Gener, Nestorio Margase, Joebel Bermejo, Yanti Barsales, and Ricardo Becite III are all natives of the town considered as the football capital of the country.

The open field in front of the San Antonio De Padua Church became a mute witness to jampacked crowd of 7,000 fans that came to support the practice game of the Azkals, who are preparing for the country’s first World Cup qualifying match since 1993.

Not even the 19th minute goal of Jovanni Sempron of CPU team can dampen their spirits.

They kept cheering for the Azkals and were rewarded when Becite scored an equalizer in the second half. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Caligdong has earlier said that as Ilonggo players, they are always putting their best foot forward as they are representing the essence of what it means to be products of the country’s football capital.

Caligdong and the rest of the Ilonggo Azkals played on the very same field as young kids prior to having the opportunity to represent the national team in several international games, most notably at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup last year.

Now, they are hoping to bring more pride to their hometown as the Azklas will face Sri Lanka on a two-leg qualifying match for the World Cup, considered to be the world's biggest sporting event, on June 29 and July 3.

The Tuesday exhibition match was made possible by two of the town’s natives—Iloilo 4th District Rep. Ferj Biron and Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta Jr.

Daily Guardian

Friendly matches for Men`s NT in Leyte

Leyte FA has reported about two friendly matches against a club from Barotac Nuevo for Philippines Men`s NT (Azkals) when on training camp in Tacloban , Leyte.

2. July Men`s NT - Stallions (Barotac Nuevo) : 3-0 (0-0)
7. July Men`s NT - Stallions (Barotac Nuevo) : 2-0 (2-0)

Training camp finished on Saturday.

Iloilo town big fan of football, World Cup

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Inquirer Visayas

Barotac town in Iloilo, 30 kilometers northeast of here, have been getting little sleep lately.

On many late nights for the past few weeks, residents have been huddling at homes in front of television sets with generous amounts of beer and appetizers while watching the World Cup 2010 matches in South Africa.

While most of the country has paid little attention to the World Cup, Barotacnons have joined nearly a billion fans worldwide in following the quadrennial tournament.

Since the World Cup opened on June 11, football players and enthusiasts have been gathering in homes with cable television connections to watch the games shown live locally at 10 p.m. and 2:30 a.m.

“We all stay late at night especially for the exciting and much awaited games,” said engineer Duffie Botavara, general secretary of the Iloilo Football Association and president of the Barotac Nuevo Football Club.

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