ILOILO CITY, Philippines (PIA) – Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President Mariano Araneta said he “welcomes” moves by Governor Arthur Defensor, Sr. to upgrade the football field within the Iloilo Sports Complex and make it at par with international standards.
Araneta, who comes from the town of Barotac Nuevo — considered the center of football in Iloilo – made the remark in a media interview after he learned of a plan by Defensor to improve said football grounds and make it fit for national and international football tournaments.
The former national football standout was among Philippine officials who headed a delegation to the recent Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge games, to cheer on the Philippine Azkals team in beating Bangladesh during their final game assignment in the series hosted by Myanmar.
Azkal’s victory over Bangladesh gained for the team a slot in the AFC Challenge Cup tournament in 2012. Speaking in the local Ilonggo dialect, Araneta said, “if that’s the governor’s plan, then that’s also good for the province (Iloilo) as well.”
The sports complex’s football field was the main venue for the football games played during the 2011 Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet hosted by Iloilo here last March 20-24.
Only Negros Occidental province’s football field at the Panaad Sports Complex in the provincial capital, Bacolod City – which is one ferry ride away from Iloilo – is, so far, the only facility capable of hosting international matches in the Western Visayas region.
Said football field in the Panaad Sports Complex was the venue of the first leg of the AFC’s Challenge Cup’s home-and-away qualifying games between the Philippine Azkals and Mongolia’s Blue Wolves last February.
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