FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Honorable Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

4298

House Bill No.
EXPLANATORY NOTE

Last December, 2010, the Philippine football team, more popularly known as
the Azkals beat Vietnam in order to enter the semi-finals of the AFF Suzuki Cup. In
the semifinals, the Azkals were supposed to piay in the Philippines to face Indonesia
in a home-and-away series where the winner will play for the championship.
However, the Federation of football of ASEAN (AFF) deemed that the Azkals’ home
field in Panaad, Bacolod is not up to the federation’s requirements. As such. the
Azkals were forced to play in Indonesia against Indonesia in front around 80,000
Indonesians in what was supposed to be a "home" game for the Azkals. The Azkals
lost to Indonesia and failed to advance to the championship round. While there is no
guarantee that the Azkals would have won had they played in the Philippines, home-
field advantage would have definitely helped as thousands of Filipinos would be
behind our players cheering them on instead of thousands of Indonesians jeering
them.

This just underscores the fact that the country needs a bigger and better
football stadium in order to give our Azkals a home where they can practice and host
intemational tournaments. There are currently five football stadiums all over the
Phitippines, The biggest of which is the adopted home of the Azkals which is the
Panaad Stadium in Bacolod which only has a capacity of 20,000. In contrast, cur
neighbors in Asia have bigger and better stadiums. Indonesia has the Bung Kamo
Stadium with a 100,000 capacity. Vietnam has the My Dinh stadium with a capacity
of 40,000, Brunei has the Sultan Hassal Bolkiah Stadium with a capacity of 30,000,
Cambodia has the 50,000 capacity National Olympic Stadium, Singapore has the
56,000 capacity Stadium of Singapore and Myanmar has the Bogyoke Aung San
Stadium with a capacity of 40,000.


And as seen in the recent Azkals versus Mongolia match held in Panaad
Stadium, the 20,000 capacity is not enough. As the sport gains popularity, so does
the number of Filipinos who want to see our team perform live in action. The
Philippine Football Federation (PFF) printed out 18,000 tickets, including 4,000
grandstand tickets that were sold out days before the match, and 4,000 VIP tickets.
And as early as 6 a.m. on game day, people already started to arrive for a match that
scheduled 13 hours and by 10 a.m,, the crowd had already swelled to 5,000. Sadly,
though, majority of them did not get tickets and were turned away,

It is high time that we bring back the glory days of football in the Philippines
like the 70's and 80's when the Philippine football team was among the strongest in
Asia and while the country is admittedly still basketball-crazy, we need to face the
facts that we have better opportunities in football considering that Fitipino football
players have the skills and talent at par and even better than players from
neighboring countries

In view of the toregoing, immediate approval of this bill is eamestly requested.

MAXIMO.8. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS }
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES =)
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

4298

Introduced by Honorable Rufus B, Rodriguez and
Honorable Maximo B, Rodriguez, Jr.

AN ACT
APPROPRIATING THE SUM OF THREE HUNDRED MILLION PESOS FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION A WORLD CLASS FOOTBALL STADIUM IN THE PHILIPPINES
WITH A SEATING CAPACITY OF 75,000

8e it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. The sum of Three Hundred Million Pesos (P300,000,000) is hereby
appropriated exclusively for the construction of a world class football stadium in the
Philippines with a seating capacity of 75,000 .

SEC, 2. Repealing Clause — All laws, decrees, orders, instructions, proclamations,
tules and regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act, are
hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SEC. 3. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,