Naga hosts street football festival

By Sharmaine Zen Manzano NAGA CITY --- For better sports competence particularly in football, the City Government of Naga, in collaboration with the Department of Education, Football Council of Naga (FCN) and Football for Humanity, hosted the Premier League of Naga City Inter-School Street Football Festival with the theme: “One Student, One Sport: Play, Learn and Be a Champion.” Vice President Leni Robredo, Congressman Gabby Bordado, Mayor John Bongat, Football for Humanity President Chris Thomas, FCN President Richmond Canlas and DepEd Naga City Division Superintendent William Gando were present to grace the opening ceremony last Saturday, February 11, at the LCC Mall here. “In recent years, development of sports, particularly in football and futsal, has tremendously improved across the city through the efforts of the city government in cooperation with the barangay officials and the Department of Education,” Mayor Bongat said, as he added that “the city of Naga embarked on many grassroots development programs not just in basketball, football and futsal but also in various individual and team sports; engaging even the out-of-school youths in the summer sports program of the city government.” VP Robredo, for her part, said, “for our children today, you are lucky; lucky enough to be part of this program. Let us not waste chances because we have this opportunity to develop ourselves and opportunity that serves as a vehicle for transformation.” According to Division Superintendent Gando, the results of the Naga City Division during the recently concluded Palarong Bicol 2017 are impressive; landing as overall 1st runner up. “We express our thanks to the city leadership of our mayor, Mayor John Bongat for his strong support to our sports development programs, like today’s opening of the Premier League of Naga City Street Football Festival,” Gando said. He also added to “express our sincerest thanks to those who are involved in our participation in Palarong Bicol, our teachers, coaches, school heads, our local school board and officers, Ernani Suron of Naga City School Board and the rest of the staff and City Hall employees who contributed to our success in Palaro.”