by Moses Billacura
“After 16 years since 5th grade…
After 12 years of our on and off relationship…
After 10 months of a long distance relationship…
we’re nailing it down! (“,)”.
My palangga Ella Elman Evangelista, an Ateneo football player and an occasional model who eventually focused her energies on studying psychology by recently completing her master’s degree at Ateneo, wrote this on her FB wall to poetically announce her marriage to Michael Misa.
It happened last July 24 at the posh Marco Polo Hotel in the presence of those dearest to her, especially her sisters Elen Evangelista-Ang, who flew in from Manila, Erlin Evangelista-Moya, who brought her “troops” from Texas, USA, and mom, manang Rady, who gained another son. I’m pretty sure Ella, your papa, who is somewhere up there, was the happiest of all to see his youngest daughter walk down the aisle.
Lito Sy Davao captured the memorable event on video and photographs and, Oh boy! I was just so delighted to see Ella and Mike so happy on their wedding day.
To Ella and Mike, my best wishes!
* * *
It cannot be denied that Kuwait, as team, even with one man down, was faster than our Philippine Azkals.
There was a glimmer of hope when the Azkals were up, 1-0, only to be silenced when their rivals scored two goals that completely shut down their chance of advancing to the next round of the World Cup qualifying tournament.
Time was no longer on Azkals’s side, said the broadcaster. In that game 2. Yes.
This loss, I hope, will bring the Philippine Football Federation officials to their senses that they cannot just rely on Fil-Foreigners.
A long-term plan should be in place for football development. Reviving the nationwide under-16 tournament, similar to what Coca-Cola did in the past, will help discover talented players, especially in provinces and cities where football has a year-round league.
PFF should start appropriating the needed funds to propel this and make sure that investment on the youth is well managed because I always believe that outstanding players will emerge if all football officials will make the sacrifices for the sport.
* * *
Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr., a former national player and one of the best products of Davao City National High School and University of Mindanao football clubs, said it is time to prepare the national squad for the 2018 World Cup’s group stage tournaments.
To sustain the gains, there is a need for our players to get the needed exposure by playing against world class teams, going to regular international friendly games and finding a new class of talents.
He already foresaw the defeat but the efforts of the national squad was laudable and deserve our wild cheers.
* * *
Happy birthday to dear Leah C. Domingo of Sultan Kudarat, cousins GB and Bryan Babol, Star sportswriter Joey Villar and pare Jun Suter of dxGO.
