Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Manila: The Philippines is set to receive 5,200 nearly indestructible balls courtesy of cooperation between the Philippine Football Federation, AFC, Asian Football Development Project and One World Futbol Project.
The four organisations on Tuesday announced that they will deliver 5,200 sponsored One World Futbol balls to organisations working with youth in the Philippines which is being rebuilt following the Typhoon Haiyan disaster in November last year.
AFC President Shaikh Salman Al Khalifa said: “AFC is proud to be a part of this noble exercise to share the power and joy of the game in areas that would normally not be reached.
“We are thankful to have partners, such as the One World Futbol Project (OWFP) that has such an amazing product, and has extended itself to help our Member Associations.”
Philippine Football Federation (PFF) President Mariano V. Araneta Jr. shared that the PFF is proud to know that it is the first Asian country to receive the balls under the MoU between the AFC, Asian Football Development Project (AFDP) and OWFP.
“These balls will be distributed to selected rural schools, NGOs and organisations which are working closely with community football and grassroots football development in various parts of the Philippines,” he said. “The balls will be distributed to these organisations based on the size and the need of the programme which was submitted to us earlier.”
AFDP and AFC Social Responsibility Committee Chairman HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein said he is glad to witness this collaborative initiative which will benefit many rural area children who love football.
“Football is a perfect tool to drive social development and I envision the sport leading to the enhancement of a healthier environment in any community surroundings,” he said.
“We strongly encourage close collaborations between football associations and NGOs because we believe it is the key to creating a positive impact on a large scale.”
Myra Ortega from GawadKalinga, a Philippine-based poverty alleviation and nation building movement, is a strong believer in the power of football in community development.
“We are delighted that GawadKalinga will be one of the recipients of the programme,” she said. “We are thankful to the AFC, PFF and OWFP for the balls donation. I believe thousands of children will benefit from this effort and more balls will surely be needed in the near future.”
OWFP hopes that these joint efforts across Asia and with the relevant football bodies will bring the healing power of play to youth worldwide by making, selling and distributing the One World Futbols.
The nearly indestructible One World Futbols never need a pump and never deflate even when punctured multiple times making them ideal for play in all types of terrain and harsh environments.