CLARK FREEPORT— Clark Parade Grounds will now be home to Tuloy Football Club (TFC), bolstering Clark’s role in nurturing the future of Philippine sports.
TFC, a professional football club that recruits young players from underprivileged communities, is establishing its home pitch in Clark through the Grassroots Football Development Program, as
announced at the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on January 27 at the Clark Event and Conference Hall.
Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera highlighted the role of football in developing a sense of discipline, purpose and community in the youth.
“The management and leadership of CDC are here because of purpose. We’re here because of some noble aspirations that we are really supporting. We are proud to be the hub of this vision to continue to nurture and develop young people to become world-class football athletes,” Atty.
Devanadera said.
“We can all love football because it is not just a game. It is a bridge to bring hearts together, to bring resources together, and to identify not just a national pride, but pride of the people,” she added.
Kicking off its operations with the TFC residency, the Grassroots Football Development Program is set to expand its athletic development to local children in Metro Clark.
L&T International Group Philippines Inc. (L&T), one of the Freeport’s top locators on employment generation, has long supported CDC’s initiatives in community-building and tourism. Through the Tan Siu Lin (TSL) Football Foundation, children in underdeveloped communities are given access to sports programs, harnessing football as a vehicle for social impact.
“It’s not about winning. It’s about trying your very best, that you know a lot of people are behind your development and your future success,” L&T CEO Raymond Tan said.
The Clark training ground will complement TFC’s strong development program, which has produced 18 players for the men’s and women’s national teams. TFC recently announced the transfer of five players from their women’s team to overseas clubs in Hong Kong and Cambodia.
TFC is a flagship program of Tuloy Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Fr. Marciano “Rocky” Evangelista, SDB, dedicated to empowering marginalized youth through education and holistic development. Like TSL Foundation, Tuloy
the Grassroots Football Development Program on January 27 at the Clark Event and Conference Hall. (CDC Photo)
“Football now is not only a sport to play. Today, we will be able to say it is a way of life where a lot of kids, a lot of young people, especially the marginalized, can find a place in society,” Fr. Evangelista said.
The Grassroots Football Development Program strengthens Clark’s standing as a premier sports tourism destination, leveraging state-
In 2024, Clark was the first-ever inductee into the Hall of Fame of the Philippine Sports Tourism Awards, recognized for its multiple wins as the country’s Sports Tourism Destination of the Year.
