FIRST of all, I would like to congratulate you for becoming the de facto First Lady effective yesterday. I am sure someone must be blue with envy right now, and I don’t mean your brother’s fiancée.
Anyway, you’re probably wondering what’s gotten into the head of an obscure community sports columnist that he’s writing to an ultra-famous personality like you. Shouldn’t he be writing instead about more pressing matters like the World Cup?
First, let me confess: some people think I have a severe dislike towards Kris the spoiled showbiz personality whose vuvuzelic voice drives half the population nuts. Perhaps there’s some truth to that.
But deep inside, I have to grudgingly admit how I admire Kris the thinker. In fact, at the height of your brother’s campaign, I tried to persuade my officemates that you’d make a way better president.
I have even gone as far as readying a campaign slogan when your turn comes. His was Noy-P, short for Noynoy for President, but yours sounds crunchier: Kris for President, or Kris-P. Six years from now I can hear a hysterical crowd of millions scream: Kris-P! Kris-P! Kris-P!
Before you find this letter as nothing more than servile flattery, let me get to the point: I am writing to seek your help in fixing Philippine football. You heard that right.
I know it sounds rather a bit of a stretch, since you’re probably wondering if there is such a thing as Philippine football in the first place. Well, yes, Kris, there is such a thing and it severely needs your help.
Again, Kris, you may ask: Why Kris? What has Kris got to do with this nonsense?
A lot, dear First Lady. More than you can imagine. But how?
Let’s get to the facts.
Being the President’s sister, he listens to you, even to a fault, right? You and the President want to bring real change, right? And among the President’s thrusts is to stamp out corruption, right? Of course, both of you are serious, right?
So if I tell you, Kris, that the state of Philippine football mirrors that of Philippine society, you’d agree, right? Well, maybe not because you’re probably clueless about the shenanigans that transpire within football’s governing body in the country. Most people are, anyway.
You see, Kris, the Philippine Football Federation—that’s what it’s called—receives millions of aid from Fifa, international soccer’s umbrella organization. In 2007 it received $400,000, plus a yearly pledge of $250,000. That means the PFF should have received $1.4 million by now, or a cool P70,000,000.
All that money, Kris, should have made a lot of difference. Ah, but how come you haven’t heard of it?
Now that I have your attention, you must also be wondering where all that money went? For now I will spare you the details, but in a nutshell, the PFF is allegedly in a serious financial mess and it’s becoming a national embarrassment.
Now, Kris, you couldn’t care less about football, but think about all the Pinoy football players who would have benefitted from money well spent.
I’m specifically addressing this letter to you and not the President because you have a personal understanding of how an athlete feels when deprived. You should know, since you were married to one.
So, Kris, why not ask your brother to look not just into the PFF but the other national sports organizations as well to find out why we suck at international competitions that matter? Of course, the money that the PFF has, or had, in its hands is unheard of, so shouldn’t that be a priority?
How I’d relish a meeting between the President of the Republic of the Philippines and the PFF president. Someone’s got some explaining to do.
Honestly, Kris, I see this letter will probably go nowhere, but who knows? In your language, it’s called “suntok sa buwan.”
So, if anyone can fix Philippine football, it has got to be you Kris. And it’s that urgent. We need your help. Now na.
(nsvillaflor@gmail.com)