IN BAROTAC Nuevo, football isn’t simply a sport — it’s part of the town’s identity. For generations, children have grown up playing, watching, and living the game with the same fervor that basketball commands in much of the country. That deep-rooted passion has earned this Iloilo municipality a distinction no other town can claim: the “Football Capital of the Philippines.”
Keeping that legacy alive, however, takes sustained investment in the young players who will carry it forward. Aligned with its mission to build healthier communities, the country’s leading healthcare company Unilab has thus been supporting the football community in Barotac Nuevo through the Pike Braga Sports and Development Foundation (PBSDF). Under this partnership, Unilab is helping young athletes access training opportunities as well as nutritional and health support through Growee, Ceelin and Enervon Z+.
A legacy built over a century
The Monfort brothers, a prominent Ilonggo family, introduced football to Iloilo in the 1920s. A century later, the plaza that bears their name remains a gathering place for the town’s football community.
That culture has produced remarkable results. Since the 1970s, Barotac Nuevo has sent a steady stream of players to the Philippine national team, including Ian Araneta, Chieffy Caligdong, and Yanti Barsales, who carried the town’s name onto the national stage.
But a rich football history does not sustain itself. Turning interest in the game into genuine ability requires regular coaching, competition, equipment, physical preparation, and attention to a young athlete’s health.
Investing in the next generation
Founded in 2016 by former national team player Perfecto “Pike” Braga, PBSDF provides structured football development for about 100 children in categories ranging from Under-6 to Under-16. Players train regularly under a system of assessment and development, with those showing potential progressing into more advanced coaching. For some, the pathway can eventually open opportunities to pursue football beyond the Philippines.
Unilab has supported PBSDF since last year, providing football kits, a refurbished and customized bus which it turned over with the help of individual sponsors, free health check-ups for the athletes, and health education sessions for the community.
Its sponsorship includes a regular supply of Growee, Ceelin, and Enervon Z+ to help the kids stay strong, active, and ready to achieve their dreams, both on and off the pitch.
Braga said PBSDF’s partnership with Unilab enables it to take better care of the health and daily well-being of its young athletes.
“We aim to help them maintain the energy they need both for their studies and for the physical demands of training and competition,” he said.
Building champions beyond the field
For both PBSDF and Unilab, the goal of grassroots development goes beyond discovering future sports stars. They also seek to develop discipline, character, and confidence — qualities that can benefit children regardless of where football ultimately takes them.
“The goal is not simply to help develop champions on the field, but to enable these kids to become stronger and healthier individuals who are ready to pursue possibilities on and off the pitch,” said Unilab President Sebastian Frederick Baquiran.
All this is why investing in young players matters to a place like Barotac Nuevo. A century of football does not continue simply because a town has produced great players in the past. It continues when the next generation is given the opportunity to learn, train, compete and grow.
And while not every young player will go on to represent the Philippines, every child deserves a quality start — one that can help them become not just better athletes, but champions in life.
That is the kind of legacy worth investing in./PN
