Allianz PNB Life Insurance Inc., in partnership with the Henry V. Moran Foundation, recently launched an innovative futsal for development program called "Allianz Liga Eskwela Kaagapay," a grassroots development program that combines technical skills training and financial literacy development through futsal for public schools under the Department of Education.

"The program innovatively uses futsal, an indoor small-sided version of football, widely played in Philippine grassroots communities. 'Allianz Liga Eskwela Kaagapay' aims to teach public schoolchildren technical skills in football as well as basic financial literacy through capacity-building training for teachers, training sessions with students, and competitions," said Gino Riola, chief marketing officer and head of sustainability of Allianz.

"Teachers who attend the training receive balls to be used in their schools, and also have the chance to be seconded to further coaching and officials development programs under the Philippine Football Federation," he added.

"Since 2008, the Henry V. Moran Foundation has been supporting football for development programs in public schools, orphanages and NGO across the country," said Danny Moran, chairman of The Henry V. Moran Foundation.

"But we realized that a major difficulty in promoting field football in most Filipino communities and schools is the lack of access to pitches. However, all these schools have access to covered basketball courts, so it was natural to use futsal to develop the kids. Futsal is a game that has been proven to be an excellent formator of one's technique, skill and game awareness."

The Liga Eskwela Kaagapay Program trains PE teachers on the basics of futsal coaching, officiating and tournament organization, then supplements the training with futsal competitions organized by the Moran Foundation in collaboration with the PFF.

The program is currently in all 16 school divisions/cities of DepEd-National Capital Region and in 12 school division/cities of DepEd Region 7. It will soon expand to Mindanao.

The program also emphasizes using futsal for the development of financial values, training public school teachers to utilize futsal skills and games to teach public school children basic financial literacy concepts such as goal-setting, savings and budgeting.

"Football and futsal in schools are fun for both the teachers and the students.  Thus, through our partnership with the Moran Foundation, Allianz PNB Life hopes to address the financial literacy gap in the Philippines by using an attractive medium like futsal to get basic concepts across to public school teachers and students," Riola said.

"Liga Eskwela Kaagapay helps achieve Allianz PNB Life's Sustainability agenda in the country since it directly helps us address UN Sustainable Development Goal #4 — Quality Education," he added.

The program aims to work with at least 100 public school teachers to reach 10,000 public school children in collaboration with DepEd Regions in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.