Mindanaotoday.com | Negros Occidental FA needs new leadership
By: Jack Biantan
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – It has been a while since there has been a vacuum in leadership in once very active and strong Negros Occidental Football Association (NOFA).
NOFA was ruled then by Ricky Yanson Jr. He made NOFA one of the most active FA in the country hosting various football tournaments like the Ceres Cup and the NOFA Cup every summer.
Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental was also the home the multi-titled Ceres Football Club, then considered as the richest club in the country.
Ricky ran for the PFF presidency in 2019 but lost to the incumbent president Nonong Araneta. During that time Ricky, organized and financed the Mindanao Cup, the NOFA Cup and the Luzon Cup for U15 Boys competition. He even sent the top players of these competition to compete in China.
Win or loss in the PFF election, he promised to stage the National Championship at the Rizal Memorial stadium for the winners of the Luzon, NOFA and Mindanao Cup in 2020. However, the COVID pandemic stalled the project.
After the pandemic Ricky has been inactive with Philippine football. That has left NOFA with a leadership vacuum.
Why I am interested with NOFA? I was born and raised among the sugar cane fields of Victorias City, Negros Occidental during the 60’s and the 70’s. Half of my heart belongs to Negros, half to Cebu but the whole of me belongs to my wife (He, he, he).
Actually, a childhood friend in Bacolod who runs a football club in the City of Smiles, called me up yesterday asking me the whereabouts of NOFA. He said, he is frustrated right now how football is being run in Negros Occidental.
He said that just like in some part of the country, there is an explosion of football among the young in Negros Occ. and there are countless of football festivals almost every week. However, he added that these festivals are not run well and it is very disappointing that they are run by amateurs.
He has nowhere to go to complain because as of the moment he does not know who is in charge and who are the officers of NOFA while Ricky is inactive.
Since I know some NOFA officials I then called NOFA General Secretary Cocoy Treyes, he referred me to another NOFA official Gus Rivas as he is also inactive right now busy with his construction bussiness.
Rivas, who is also an Asia Football Confederation licensed coach, said he is indirectly in contact with Ricky, through Yanson’s trusted man Andrew Infante.
Rivas said that Yanson has given his go signal to hold a NOFA election this year before the PFF election at year end.
“ We are still waiting for the statutes from the PFF. Once we receive it then we will move forward. We will call for a general assembly and then hold an election,” he said.
Rivas admitted that right now the leadership vacuum has created lots of problem for the FA. But once there will be new set of officers, all these problems will be solved.
The Philippine football community are looking forward on who will be the next NOFA president. A very well organized NOFA is good for the PFF and the country. (GOD BLESS jackbiantantambok@gmail.com)
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