RONGCALES FUTBOLITOS FC Small club growing big, getting strong in Cebu

MindanaoToday.com | RONGCALES FUTBOLITOS FC Small club growing big, getting strong in Cebu

By: Jack Biantan

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Ronbert Cabigas was my player at the Zapatera Elementary School in Cebu City in the 90s.

I coached the Zapatera Elementary School players for a while after leaving Don Bosco Boys Home in 1990. It was a voluntary work. I was there for less than a year and at the same time, I was already starting my career as a sports journalist with SunStar Cebu.

I left without even bidding goodbye to the kids and left one of my players at Don Bosco Boys Home, Victor Pacquit, to take care of them. I took the football coaching job at the University of San Carlos College varsity team and spent four years there. At the same time, my sports journalist job with SunStar was already blossoming and I had to leave my coaching job later.

OLD PHOTO. Abellana National School Futbolitos won the Cebu Coke Go-For-Goal title in this old photo in the year 2000. (Contributed photo)

Now, 34 years later, one of the kids at Zapatera Elementary School Ronbert Cabigas asked for help to publicize their newly formed football club in Cebu City and their project. Although I could hardly remember him, I never refused to help any former players as long it will help promote the beautiful game.

Last year, Ronbert and his friends formed the Futballitos Football Club in honor of the Abellana National School Futbolitos team of coach Francis Ramires. The ANS Futbalitos team won the Cebu Coke Go-For-goal titles in 2000 and 2001.

Now enter the Rongcales couple Richard and Jackilyn Rongcales, the club’s main sponsor. According to Richard Rongcales, he got involved with the team because of coach Arnie Pasinabo of the Cebu Football Academy.

Pasinabo, a former Philippine National Men’s Football Team (PNMFT) mainstay, is the coach of his young son Kiah in the Cebu Football Academy. Pasinabo plays for the Futbolitos in their 38 Above team.

CLUB SPONSORS. Richard Rongcales (right) with his wife Jackilyn Rongcales meet with the officials of the Futbolitos FC (L-R) Julius Acre, Ronbert Cabigas (Club President), and former Philippine Men’s National Football Team player Arnie Pasinado to seal their sponsorship of the club. (Contributed Photo)

Futbolitos founder and club manager, Ronbert Cabigas gave him a proposal to be involved with the Futbolitos. He liked the proposal and the history of Rongcales Futbolitos FC kicked off.

Richard is only 37 years old while is wife Jackilyn is 30. They are a very young couple but they already have various businesses. They own a Rongcales Customs Brokerage, Rongcales Trucking Services, RM Rongcales Construction Services, and R21 Logistics.

Richard is a Customs Administration graduate at the Philippine Maritime Institute (PMI) in Manila. He is a licensed customs broker.

When the Futbolitos started last year without the support of the Rongcales family, they joined the 38 Above category of the 1st Eagles Cup and finished runner-up. This year with the support of Richard and Jackilyn, the club has won already two titles in the 38 Above category.

Presently, the Rongcales Futbolitos have only two categories, the Men’s Open and the 38 Above categories. Club manager and President Ronbert Cabigas said that they are negotiating with the officials of his elementary school alma mater, Zapatera Elementary School at the heart of Cebu City, to rekindle the school’s football program.

38 ABOVE TEAM. The Rongcales Futbolitos FC 38 Above team won the Men’s 38 Above category in the 4th ERCO Samareno Football Cup recently. (Contributed photo)

The active club officers who run the club, aside from Cabigas are the Acre brothers Julius and Kurt, and former professional player Arnie Pasinabo.

Cabigas, Julius and Kurt Acre also lead the Futbolitos on the pitch, including veterans Elizer Pacubas, Norcel Hangalay,Melvin Culibra, Hubert Bout, Norcel Hangalay, Victor Asignado, Michael Masong, Renz Robbie Sabay, Jegger Liloan, Jake Acre, Jesus Menaling, Glen Cariquitan, Alex Buanghug, Ranulfo Colina, Rene Menchavez, Epefanio Ynot, Ariel Cahilig, Renuel Colina, Adriane Calinawan, John Gomora, Junard Aguilar, and Jacob Canada.

For their initial project, Cabigas and the Rongcales Futbolitos are organizing the 1st Rongcales Football Cup on October 26-27 at the Dynamic Herb Borromeo Stadium at the South Reclamation Project, Talisay Cebu.

Competitions on Oct. 26 are for Mixed U5, Mixed U9, Mixed U11, Mixed U13, U15 Boys, U15 Girls, and U17 Boys. On October 27, competitions will be for Mixed U7, Men’s Open, Ladies Open, Men’s 36 Above, Men’s 48 Above, Inter-Company, Soccer Moms, and Men’s Professionals.

The registration fee is P3,300, but the early bird registration fee is P3,000. Winners will get medals and trophies. Top players will also get special prizes. The tournament is sanctioned by the Central Visayas Football Association (CVFA).

The Rongcales Cup is just an initial project of the club. Hopefully, the tournament will be successful so that the club will grow stronger and bigger to help spread the beautiful game to the grassroots. (jackbiantantambok@gmail.com)

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