REMEMBER those streetgirls featured here just a few weeks ago who were learning to play soccer? They have completed their football clinic and have learned to love the sport -- including the fervor for the future that this sport seem to fan among the young, restless, and erstwhile hopeless.

"Lisod gamay per kayahon kay gusto man namo mahimo na sikat na player (It's a difficult sport but we have to bear this because we want to be well-known in football)," 12-year-old Yllana said.

"Enjoy man siya, makawala sa problema, maundang ang bisyo kay ang huna-huna ang soccer og unsa na pud mahitabo ugma (The game is enjoying, we'd forget our problems and will have no time for our vices because all we are thinking of is soccer and what the game holds tomorrow)," said 18-year-old Salome, who was among the 20-plus girls of Tambayan Center for Children's Rights who were feted in a program called "Pagdayeg" (Recognition) to mark the culmination of the summer football clinic under former international football layer Stephen Ojo last March 10 at Matina Town Square.

Ojo, a Nigerian football player now based in Ireland, was in town for the girls' football clinic and to share his experiences on how soccer can fan interest on social issues.

His visit is sponsored by the Volunteer Service Organization (VSO) Global Exchange Program. While here, he tapped local coaches to continue what he has started.

Salome intends to play on even after the clinic. She has her sights set on the Women's World Cup.

But most of all, soccer is about the discipline they resented so much before.

"Dili diay dula-dula lang, naa diay rules (It's not just a game, it has rules that has to be followed). No to smoke, no to drugs, alcohol, and don't say bad words," 15-year-old Rosenda said.

It was a one-week road to self-discovery for these young soccer players who preferred the streets more than their homes.

"Mentras makaya pa, bangon (For as long as we can still bear the difficulty, we rise up after a fall)," Sheila Jean, 14, said. "Kung matumba or masamdan, dili pwede motabang ang kauban, itaas lang ang kamot kung dili na makaya (If you fall or get hurt, don't expect your teammates to help you. You just have to raise your hand if you can no longer stand the pain)."

Sheila Jean said she did get a wound on her foot while playing because they were unshod.

The girls recalled how they were pitted against boys from barangay 22 whom they said were all wearing rubber shoes. They simply focused on their game even though the boys were rather uncouth in their ways.

"Pag ang mga lalaki mag-istorya og bad words, ginaingnan 'mi nga ayaw na lang sukol kay wala siguro sila'g rules (Whenever the boys say bad words, we are reminded not to fight back since maybe they were not apprised of the rules)," Rosenda said.

The girls too recalled how Mr. Ojo, their coach for the clinic, suspended games for one day because the girls broke out in a heated argument among themselves.

"Sige na siya sulti, stop, stop, unya padayon 'mi og lalisay (Mr Ojo was already shouting stop, stop, but we continued arguing)," Rosenda recalled.

Their coach left them and played with other players at the Tionko Football Field, they said, he also threatened to suspend the clinic. When they promised to obey the rules, the clinic continued.

Thus, when they were made to play with the boys whom they described as rowdy, they ignored the bad words thrown their way.

"Kami na lang magpakumbaba. Kung mag-istorya og bad words, magpalayo na lang mi (We take it upon ourselves to be humble. If someone curses us, we just walk away)," Rosenda added.

Salome admitted she got angry during their first game when she was hit in the face by a ball.

"Pero giingnan 'ko nga dula ra 'to (But I was reminded that it's just a game)," she said, adding that she can also accidentally hit someone else with the ball and will not like it if that someone will be angry at her.

The football clinic is part of Tambayan's program, "A Red Card Against All Forms of Child Abuse".

A red card is what a soccer referee issues to a player who commits a violent foul, and child abuse is a violent foul against humanity.

Girl-children in inner city settlements like the areas covered by Tambayan are abused, punished, and sexually molested by peers, family and neighbors.

The campaign is both a local and global advocacy drive aimed to ventilate the issues of streetchildren through soccer.

"The campaign also seeks to foster understanding and cultural exchanges between kids of the first world and the third world," the Tambayan website entry on the campaign reads.

For the girls, it's all about the game and how to play properly.

"Dili mangita'g away, obey the rules, ang purpose sa dula dili makipag-istorya sa kalaban (We should not pick up fights, we should obey the rules, and you're not there to chat with your opponents)," Yllana said.