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Saturday, 19 January 2008 |
LONDON - I was only 18 years old in 1986 when I volunteered to work at Don Bosco Boys Home in Banilad Cebu city Philippines.
WITH THE HOME BOYS: Three members of the`Home Boys' with me during my recent holiday in Cebu city. Left is DECS teacher Nick Biboso, DBTC PE professor Robert Nicart and right is computer technician Lemar Baunsit
It was tough. The boys we took cared of were tougher. A number of them were plucked out from the streets of the Queen city of Southern Philippines.
Most of them were kids from very poor families. Their families could no longer care for them that they were brought to the home to be cared for by the Salesians of Don Bosco religious order. At the home they were taught how to be good Christians so that they will be good citizens when they are in the real world.
On the first day I set foot on the five hectare property at the end of the old Lahug airport, I was so surpised to see the basketball court empty. Where were all the boys? They were all packed at the small football field running after a Sunsport rubber soccer ball.
I was a soccer varsity in my third year high school but never took the sport seriously. I was tall and shifted to basketball. Watching the boys kicking the soccer ball, there and then I regretted why I did not take soccer seriously.
It was too late to develop my skills to be the next Maradona but I thought who cares, I was young and a could learn the sport again and become a coach to those restless and fearless bunch of under privileged boys. It was the start of my never ending passion of the beautiful game.
British missionary Rev. Fr. Leonard MacManus SDB started Boys Home's love affair with soccer. He was in-charge of the home when I started there. His passion for soccer was relentless. We competed in all the Cebu Football Association (CFA) organized tournaments in Cebu city and Fr. Mac would not accept mediocrity. He would give his 100 per cent support but we have to produce the trophies.
It was the best job I ever had in my entire life. I worked there for four years and when there was a sudden change of administration, I left Boys Home and pursued my journalistic career with SunStar Daily Cebu. Even when I was with SSD I was still active in helping Boys Home with their football program.
In fact, I was the CFA representative and at the same time represented SunStar during the National Coke Go-for-Goal finals in 1996 when Boys Home won the first and only title of Cebu in the now defunct national program of Coca Cola Export Philippines. The boys of Boys Home represented Salazar Institute of Technology where they were studying then. They shocked the heavily favored West Negros College of Bacolod in a penalty shootout after a scoreless draw in the regulation and extra time at the Rizal Memorial stadium.
I ended my support to Boys Home football program seven years ago when I moved here in London. However, everytime I go home for holidays I still see the `Homeboys' (That's what they call themselves.)
Five years ago, Don Bosco Boys Home relocated to Lilo-an Cebu province. Since their relocation, the institution's football program has slowed down. However, last year, Fr. Jun Paradiang SDB was appointed rector to the Home. The youthful and sports fanatic priest has since then started to relaunch their football program. In 1996, Paradiang was only a neophyte priest when he was the head of the Don Bosco Boys Home-Salazar Institute of Technology delegation that won the Coke Go-for-Goal title for Cebu.
This time Paradiang has enlisted the help of another Salesian, the tireless Salesian Brother Jose Marie Aberasturi. The 37-year-old Aberasturi was the Athletic Director of the Don Bosco Technology Center in Punta Princesa, Cebu city the past six years before he was appointed to support Paradiang starting this school year in Lilo-an.
Lots of boys who graduated from Boys Home are already professionals. Some of them have their successful careers in different fields. Most of them are still young and are still playing the sport they have been taught to love.
Now, led by the tireless Robert Nicart, the `Home Boys' have re-united and put up a team that has been competing in Cebu tournaments. Nicart, now a PE professor at the Don Bosco Technological Center (DBTC) in Labangon Cebu, have organized the Home Boys and they were successful in their first football competition.
They won the Mizuno tilt senior division crown in November last year. This year they are preparing for the coming Thirsty Cup which is set early February.
They might be out of Boys Home but the `Home Boys' have kept the football in their hearts. GOD BLESS
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