The current Covid-19 pandemic would probably have ended many things, but Filipino futsal, like his older brother, football at 11 (the name of the Philippine Football League), is about to take an even greater step.
The Philippine Football Federation, in collaboration with a futsal fan, the Enrique V De Moran Foundation, has made great progress in more than two years not only to raise the profile of futsal, but also as a regional power.
In years, steps have been taken to give the game a little more important.
In collaboration with partners such as the Moran Foundation and the Ministry of Education, the PFF has begun advertising futsal in public schools.
As a component of the Liga Eskwela program, from 2016 to 2018, the Ministry of Education placed futsal at school point number one for the regional eliminations of Palaro Pambansa in the metropolitan domain of Manila.
In 2018, with German foreign monetary facilities provider Allianz, PFF and the Moran Foundation conducted a National Youth Room Football Competition for children and women over the age of 12 to 16 in nine provincial regions of the country (three each in Luzon). and Mindanao) – Luzón Central y Cordillera, Region of the National Capital / Manila, Bicol Region, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Dipolog / Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro and Davao.
Its main objective of the tournament with its local, regional and national finals is to provide an initial assessment on the point of training, arbitration, proper organization and the point of players and futsal speakers throughout the country.
The Allianz program also sought to create a group of potential coaches, referees, organizers, sites and assets in position, such as volunteers, teams, local supporters (public and private) and organizers who can advertise futsal at minimal cost.
This style program yet won a Silver Award at the 2018 Sports Industry Awards (SPIA) held in Bangkok, Thailand.
In addition, in September 2018, PFF and the Philippine Sports Commission reintroded futsal at the Batang Pinoy National Youth Games for U13 boys, U13 girls, U15 boys and U15 girls.
These games were used to prepare Filipino groups for the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and Olympic Games.
With this, the Philippines now has 3 national primary futsal competitions for young people: Allianz National Youth Futsal Invitational, the Batang Pinoy National Youth Games and the Palaro Pambansa of the Ministry of Education where trainers, referees and fit organizers can what they have learned in the courses to expand the sport.
The participation in April 2019 of prominent Dutch futsal coach Vic Hermans, invited to compare the futsal program in the country, adds even more enthusiasm to the expansion of futsal.
The PFF and its organization gained more than just an evaluation. Hermans seeks to worry about the progression of the basic program.
According to local football officials, Hermans’ three-year engagement will begin once the pandemic is over.
Futsal has noticed a foreign resurgence. In fact, game presented as official game at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires for boys and girls.
France, home to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, has submitted a plan/application to make futsal a demonstration game and, in all likelihood, a normal game at the Olympic Games for men and women.
This turns out to be an exciting time for Filipino futsal.