2nd PSE Futsal Cup showcases football talents of listed firms

A composite team from Meralco, I. Ackerman & Co., and the Philippine Stock Exchange claimed the championship in the 2nd PSE Futsal Cup held over the weekend in Libis, Quezon City. First runner-up was ATR Kim Eng Securities. Ranel Padon, one of two guest players of the champion team was named most valuable player while teammate Carlo Capacillo of Ackerman won the special award for scoring the most goals. Areson Cuevas coached PSE Team B while Jaime Lopez was mentor of ATR Kim Eng. Paul Rafael was best defender and Patrick Maramara was best goalkeeper. Both Rafael and Maramara were both on the ATR Kim Eng team. Randy Roxas, a former member of the men’s national football team, played for ATR Kim Eng. Roxas is also one of the backers of the country’s Homeless World Cup team and of the Loyola Meralco Sparks, a member-club of the United Football League (UFL). Petron Corp., with Freddie Daulat as coach, emerged as second runner-up, edging out International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) which settled at fourth place. ICTSI had Arthur Tabuena as coach. The 2nd PSE Futsal Cup saw the participation of 8 teams which fielded a total of 92 players from two trading participants and seven listed firms. The PSE had two teams. Among the listed firms that competed were PLDT-Smart, ABS-CBN and Manila Water Company. Actor-model Jake Cuenca played on the ABS-CBN futsal team. Smart Communications is helping the Philippine Football Federation form a Philippine Premier League and has committed to invest P80 million to develop football nationwide. Meralco has a football team in the UFL, the Loyola Meralco Sparks FC. Cignal TV, another Manuel V. Pangilinan-run company — like Meralco, PLDT and Smart — is also in the UFL via Kaya Cignal FC, the mother team of current national team players Aly Borromeo, Anton del Rosario, Phil Younghusband and James Younghusband. — VS, GMA News