Mindanaotoday.com | Why I am supporting John Gutierrez bid for PFF leadership
By: Jack Biantan
CAGAYAN DE ORO City — My hope for Philippine football has been rekindled after knowing Philippine Football Federation (PFF) presidential hopeful John Gutierrez.
I have never heard of his name before until he was mentioned by Iligan Lanao Regional FA (ILRFA) president Ike Olandesca during the National 45-Above Championship at the Lodo field in Iligan City last March.
John was guest of honor of the tournament with Stallion FC co-owner Filbert Alquiros. I missed John as he came very early. I came late just minutes before lunch time and he was already gone.
It was there when I learned from Ike that he is running for the PFF top position. I also met Stallion FC co-owner Filbert Alquiros who also announced his interest of running as PFF president.
I never met and knew John Gutierrez. In fact, I never heard of him until that morning of March 12. While coming back home to Cagayan de Oro I kept on thinking about John. Who is this man who would come to Iligan to meet old footballers riding in a chopper?
My curiosity got fired up. I immediately googled his name and found out there were hundreds of John Gutierrez. I looked in Facebook and there were also hundreds of John Gutierrez. Then I told myself I should ask my football friends if they know the man.
Then I realized how stupid I was. All the football friends I know from Manila and even here here in Mindanao know him. And I only heard good things about him.
I learned that he was the owner of Pachanga Diliman FC which then competed in the now defunct United Football League (UFL). I then learned from my old elementary school classmate Frank Muescan that John was their manager at the University of the Philippines varsity football team when he was their coach.
Muescan, who was my classmate in Grade 5 at Don Bosco Victorias, Negros Occidental, said that John was a very generous manager during his time as a coach of UP. With John, they won two UAAP titles. Their goalkeeping coach then was former Azkals goalie Ref Curesma. Curesma is now the goalkeeping coach of the professional club Cebu FC.
Then I learned my friend from Bukidnon coach Guiller Sumampong that John is the current General Secretary of the Bukidnon Football Association (BUFA) under president Jon Josef Manlunas. John and Jon were football varsity teammates at the University of the Philippines in the 90’s.
Sumampong has also sung praises for John. He said that John has spent his own money and with the help of former BUFA General Secretary Jo Gamboa to repair the PFF Regional training center in Valencia City, Bukidnon. I personally have been to the PFF training center couple of times few years ago and found the area very beautiful except for its dilapidated facilities.
Since John was appointed as BUFA Gen Sec, he has spent his own money to repair the facility with the help of Jo Gamboa. Although, I have not seen the facility very lately, Sumampong said that the facility is now spick and span.
A friend in Luzon has told me that John Gutierrez has always been helping Philippine football every time the PFF needed help. John Gutierrez has always been behind the scene. He would never announce how much he has given to Philippine football.
This time however, it will be a different story as John now wants to bring Philippine football to a higher level. He has slowly visited the different local FA’s talking to the different presidents.
I met him during the Del Monte Cup last May 20 in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon for the first time. We had a lengthy conversation and he said that he has already prepared a program for Philippine football.
When I asked why he wants to be president, he said that he has talked to his wife and she has given him a go signal to run for the PFF top spot. Then he said that he is blessed and he wants to return his blessings to his countrymen by helping the sport he is most passionate of, the beautiful game of football.
John Gutierrez is passionate about the beautiful game but passion would not be enough to help uplift the sport in the Philippines. The next president should also have deep pockets and extensive connections. John has many business interest all over the Philippines.
It would be foolish for the different FA’s and Club presidents to ignore John and put somebody else on the top of the PFF. (jackbiantantambok@gmail.com)
###