CEBU CITY – La Liga Spain, in partnership with the Baguio Football Club (BFC), recently unveiled the Second Chance project with the inauguration of the newly refurbished multi-sports court at barangay San Nicolas here recently.
The said initiative of La Liga Spain in partnership with the BFC was aimed at providing local youth with enhanced facilities for football, basketball and volleyball and the same was bolstered by the partnership with artist and philanthropist Isidro Labitad and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC).
La Liga representative Santiago Javier Elizalde Gonzles personally graced the inauguration of the futsal court and expressed the group’s gratitude to its partners and the barangay for hosting the noble project.
The San Nicolas neighborhood, known as the mother of all churches where Sto. Niño was found, has faced numerous challenges, especially during the pandemic. The area, a central point and market hub, is vital to the city’s economy, often seeing a significant influx of goods from the provinces. The renovation of the sports center will bring new hope and opportunities to this historic and bustling community.
The opening event of the upgraded sports center was graced by local authorities, including Barangay Captain Clifford Nin֮al, who is affectionately known as the “Father of the Homeless.” Rev. Msgr. Fuentes bestowed this title upon him for his dedicated efforts to care for the homeless during the pandemic. The event will feature a futsal training session organized by Baguio Football Club in partnership with the barangay and the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). This session will mark the launch of the San Nicolas Sports Club and will be followed by a friendly match among the neighborhood’s youth. The initiative aims to engage young people, teaching them about climate change and environmental stewardship through sports.
A “LALIGA Second Chance is a regional project for Southeast Asia with a social purpose, whereby LALIGA will bring Spanish football closer to Filipino fans and leave a legacy to the community. It is the perfect reflection of ‘The Power of Our Fútbol,’ as our new slogan says, reinforcing our aim to inspire the world through the values of football”, explains Iván Codina, LALIGA Managing Director of SEA, Japan, South Korea and Australia.
The newly announced LALIGA logo and slogan was prominently displayed at the center of the court. The side walls will feature vibrant and colorful designs with animals and historical ethnographic symbols characteristic of the Philippines, all in Labitad’s unique style. These artistic elements will make the sports center a new focal point for the community, fostering a sense of unity and pride.
The pitch also featured OneHumanity, a global campaign promoted by LALIGA and UNAOC to celebrate the power of unity, solidarity, respect, and inclusion in sports. This sports center in Cebu City will be the fourth court refurbished by LALIGA in Southeast Asia, following recent openings in Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. These efforts underscore LALIGA’s commitment to giving back to society and reinforcing its role as the largest football ecosystem in the world.
LALIGA is the largest football ecosystem in the world. It is a private sports association, made up of 20 football clubs/SADs in LALIGA EA Sports and 22 in LALIGA HYPERMOTION, and is responsible for the organization of professional and national football competitions. It has over 200 million followers on social networks globally, across 16 platforms and in 20 different languages; and has the most extensive international network of any sports property, through which it is present in 41 countries and 11 offices, with headquarters in Madrid (Spain). The association is socially active through its foundation and is the first professional football league in the world with a competition for players with intellectual disabilities. By HENT
