GOOD news first. Congratulations are in order for five outstanding Tuloy Football Club players, who have signed contracts to play overseas soon.
Leading the charge are Isabella Bandoja and Lanie Ortillo, who will be suiting up for TSL Football Club (TSLFC) in Hong Kong. TSLFC is currently pacing the Hong Kong Women’s League that started six days ago and hopes to stay on top of the league with its acquisition of Bandoja and Ortillo. The duo were integral components of the squad that represented the flag and country in the historic FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup and in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games last year.
As co-captain of the Philippine Women’s National Futsal Team, Bandoja likewise scored the lone but memorable goal against Argentina in the inaugural FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup. She is also a veteran of several international campaigns in the past and has made her mark on and off the pitch in the local football and futsal scenes.
Ortillo, on the other hand, is also a veteran of many international tournaments while starring for the youth and senior teams since 2019. She is also a key member of Filipina5 since 2021.
Three other members of Tuloy FC Women’s Team will also take their cleats abroad. Jade Ann Jalique, Shien Payag and Arjhane Bolivar will call Phnom Penh home for a while after they signed to play for XO United FC in the Cambodian Women’s League (CWL). The three are expected to bolster XO United FC’s campaign when the CWL starts this April.
“These players represent what is possible for Philippine women’s football. Their journeys show that locally trained Filipina athletes can compete and succeed on the international stage,” said Father Rocky Evangelista, SDB, President of Tuloy Foundation and Tuloy Football Club in a press release shared by good friend Paolo Del Rosario to The Designated Kit Man.
All five girls are set to play for their respective new teams for at least one year. What is more exciting is the fact that the signings of Bandoja, Ortillo, Jalique, Payag and Bolivar continue the recent and most welcome wave of Filipino football players taking their acts abroad beginning this year.
Earlier, Noah Leddel, Kamil Amirul, Kenshiro Daniels, Chima Uzoka, Miggy Clarino Francis Tacardon and Alyssa Ube were tapped by teams to compete in Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia and Laos football leagues. Hoping that more Philippine-based footballers will get calls too not only in Southeast Asia but in other leagues as well.
Praying, too, that all is well at the Philippines Football League (PFL). Recent news claiming the struggles of several teams have been circulating as of late. One report even claimed that one team has lost at least nine players due to several reasons.
Laban lang, PFL!
Our favorite national sporting association has released its assessment of its accomplishment of the year’s past. It cited several “historic” performances including semifinal appearances and a first gold medal in women’s competition.
Frankly, this NSA should be grateful to its women’s team for overachieving despite the challenges the squad has to hurdle on and off the pitch. Credit should also be given to the coach and his staff for keeping and motivating the team to overcome the odds.
The Designated Kit Man also found it interesting that the sporting association has distributed tens of thousands of balls, claiming this as one of its achievements in its grassroots programs.
This fact elicited a comment from someone, who has been with the NSA and the current leadership for the longest time.
“Madali lang magpicture at mag abot ng bola pero hindi enough ito para ipakita na talagang may nangyayari. Pagkabigay mo ng bola, dapat may kasunod na programa siya. Tama rin naman na regional associations ang in charge pero dapat may follow up on their side, ‘yun ang kailangan. Hindi ako naniniwala na namigay ka lang ng bola ay ok na. Hindi ‘yan, malabo ‘yan,” he explained.
There is something, too, that I wanted to see coming from the gods of Mt. Canley. Whatever accomplishments they may own in 2025, would be at its best, a footnote in 2026.
So what is the game plan for 2026? To be more specific, how are the preparations for the most important game for the men’s team this March? The Designated Kit Man is still waiting for a response from our equally favorite general secretary of this NSA.
So Janti Miller is moving to UAAP because he doesn’t want to play anymore in the NCAA. What’s the big deal? This is expected knowing that collegiate basketball in the country has become a big business in the last decade or even much earlier. Miller has every right to decide on his basketball career and his future. Utang na loob can’t pay the bills quipped one fellow alumni.
For sure, the San Beda Red Lions basketball program will surely make the necessary adjustment to compensate for Miller’s departure. And besides, there are still many players waiting on the sidelines to get the opportunity.
We also actively recruit players from other schools. Win some, lose some. This is the reality whether in basketball, football or life in general.
Let’s move on.
Stay safe. Stay happy peeps!
For comments or questions, you can reach The Designated Kit Man at erel_cabatbat@yahoo.com or follow his account at Twitter: @erelcabatbat
