Local football body ready to accept lady referees

The Cebu Football Association (CFA) is making strides in developing local women’s football by calling on women who want to become referees in the sport.

CFA referees committee head Rodney Orale said he is encouraging women in the Cebu football community to try their hand in officiating and follow the steps of other women in international football who are officiating in the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup.

Orale said those interested can approach him or the CFA office located just beside the entrance gate of the Cebu City Sports Center.

Philippine football has a handful of women referees. Merlo Albano of the Davao Football Association became a FIFA assistant referee last year after training in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Iloilo Football Association also has five women referees and Orale said he is hoping Cebu would follow suit.

Orale said he is very grateful of the full support that the rest of the CFA board members have given him in restoring harmony among the Cebu referees.

One of the things he is very thankful about is the CFA board’s decision to allow him to have Vincent Ramos as his assistant.

The referees committee made a move to improve the level of local referees by holding a three-day Referees Refresher Course & Field Training Seminar July last year.

Orale is also looking into adding to Cebu’s National 1 category referees by sending Michael Culibra, Levi Sabella, Dave Intong, Phillip Denuyo and Nino Zapanta to a referees course for National 1 this February in Bacolod organized by the Philippine Football Federation.