ILOILO CITY -The stakeholders of Philippine football gather here today in a Congress that is designed to set fresh initiatives for the sport's development and strengthen unity among its leaders.

Participating in the Philippine Football Federation congress at Iloilo Grand Hotel are some 60 presidents, including Negros Occidental FA's Rep. Charlie Cojuangco, and secretaries general as well as the PFF's 12-member Board of Governors who are also meeting among themselves.

In a press release, PFF secretary general Domeka Garamendi said the congress' principal agenda focuses on several amendments to the PFF constitution and by laws, particularly those suggested by FIFA, the sport's world governing body. Garamendi said FIFA has recommended that the PFF by laws be amended "to insure the neutrality of the sport."

Specifically, he said, the amended bylaws will provide that parties involved arbitrations and disputes be barred from going to the courts of law.

"We don't want to be another BAP," he said in reference to the internal struggles within the Philippine basketball community that resulted in the exclusion of basketball in the recent Southeast Asian Games.

At the same time, Garamendi said the congress will also provide the proper platform for launching new directions for the development of the sports, particularly in the grassroots level.

He said the PFF will encourage member associations to come up with programs for the upliftment of football particularly in the local level.

Garamendi said the congress is a good venue to share ideas. "We want to empower the different associations so they can undertake their own development programs," he said. *

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