DESPITE being the newest kid in the block, the Province of Bohol Regional Football Association is dreaming big for 2026.
Recognized as one of the new FAs of the Philippine Football Federation just last June, 2025, the PBRFA is wants to hold PFF coaching seminars, organize more 11-a-side tournaments, organize a database of players and clubs to prevent poaching and age-cheating, and to strengthen the partnership with the Provincial Government of Bohol to implement a grassroots program.
Led by Frenz Camacho, who is also the vice mayor of Clarin, the PBRFA took the right steps in its partnership with LGUs as it teamed up with Gov. Aris Aumentado, the Provincial Youth Development Office, and the Municipality of Valencia in hosting the PFF U19 Group D regional qualifying round, which the home team dominated to earn a spot in the national final.
That achievement marked a milestone for Bohol football, as it gave their players a chance to showcase their skills in the national stage.
Coach Alvin Mangubat, who has three decades of coaching under his belt and a veteran of many Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association meets, said the highest Boholano players could aim for was the Cviraa.
That ceiling has been shattered.
Thanks to the PBRFA.
“For years, the football dream in Bohol had a ceiling. For many young athletes, the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) meet or the Palarong Pambansa represented the ultimate peak—the highest stage they could hope to reach,” said Mangubat.
Before, Bohol was limited to DepEd meets like the Cviraa if it wanted to compete outside the region, or to token seven-a-side tournaments some affluent clubs could join. But with the PBRFA, Bohol gets to host PFF meets, and as it found out, dominate them. It beat Negros Oriental-Siquijor RFA and Eastern Visayas RFA in the PFF U19 Group D qualifiers to book a spot in the national finals.
“We are already seeing the results. Boholano players are no longer aiming only for CVIRAA—they are competing in PFF (Philippine Football Federation) competitions and reaching the national stage. The overall level of football in the province has improved significantly,” said Camacho.
The difference with competing in the Cviraa and in PFF tournaments is significant. Winning a silver medal in the Cviraa, which coach Mangubat has done a few times, shows how good a Bohol school is in football, while advancing to the national finals of a PFF U19 tournament shows the improvement of the Bohol football community.
Held back by factionalism for decades, the current football revolution in Bohol is fueled by unity, a strategic collaboration between the Provincial government, the LGUs, and the PBRFA.
The PBRFA has also tapped both on-field and off-field personnel to fuel its growth, with its local coaches, led by Mangubat, molding the next generation of players, and gen sec Maricel Lato making sure its programs align with the PFF.