Mindanaotoday.com | Nonong Araneta’s legacy in Ph football difficult to follow
By: Jack Biantan
Mariano ‘Nonong’ Araneta has been serving the Philippine football community for 13 years now and that is about to end by the end of the year.
His reign started in 2010 when as Vice President of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), he took over as interim president to replace the then ousted president Mari Martinez. The following year in November 26, 2011, he formally took over the reigns of the country’s football governing body when he was elected president un-opposed in a PFF Congress.
He secured a second term in 2015 when he ran again un-opposed. In 2019 he was re-elected in a tightly contested election against Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA) president Ricky Yanson.
His reign will end this year and many hopefuls are reportedly running to lead Philippine football for the next four years. Among those who are reportedly interested in running, although they have not confirmed yet, are Davao-South Regional FA president Henry Sabate, M’lang Cotabato Vice Mayor and PFF vice president Joselito Piñol and current PFF General Secretary Edwin Gastanes.
Only two hopefuls have officially announced their intentions to run as president. They are Stallions FC co-owner Filbert Alquiros and former Pachanga Diliman FC owner and Bukidnon FA General Secretary John Gutierrez.
Nonong’s legacy in Philippine football is very difficult to follow and the Philippine football community really needs someone as influential and dedicated as Nonong. The Philippines were considered as doormats in Asian football but since the reign of Nonong, the country has been respected by our Asian neighbors.
The men’s team, the Azkals, have qualified and played in the Asian Football Cup, the country’s first major tournament participation in men’s football. The women’s team, the Filipinas (formerly the Malditas), has qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the first time the country has made it to the a FIFA World Cup.
Because of exemplary performance as a PFF executive, Nonong has gained respect from his Asian football leaders. He has been elected to the FIFA Council representing the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2019 and has been re-elected to serve another four year term from January this year until 2027.
Born in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo Nonong learned to play football in his hometown, considered as the Brazil of the Philippines, during his childhood. He studied high school at the University of the Philippines-Iloilo and took up Civil Engineering at the University of the Philippines Diliman in college.
Nonong, was one of the very few collegiate athlete in our country who played two varsity sports. He played for the UP Fighting Maroons basketball team for three years in the 70’s. He had a chance of playing professional basketball but instead remained in UP to play football varsity and to finish his studies. He led UP to three football titles.
After college, Araneta played for the National team and in commercial teams like U-Tex, CDCP and Philippine Airforce. He played for the national team for 10 years from 1975-1985. He was a member of the Philippine national team in the Southeast Asian Games in 1977 and 1983. He also played for the Asian qualifying tournament of the 1984 Los Angles Olympics.
Nonong has not only served the football community. He was also the chef de mission of the Philippine delegation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (due to COVID games were held in 2021). The Tokyo Olympics was the most successful ever for the Philippines as weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz gave the country its first ever gold medal.
Who ever gets elected to the PFF top post late this year will face a difficult task to follow Nonong’s legacy. My only wish is that the person who gets elected will have the heart and mind to lift football to the next level, higher than the level where Nonong has put the Philippine football now. (jackbiantantambok@gmail.com)
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