World Cup '06 and advocacy campaigning

ONE EXHILARATING added treat of the ongoing LSJ Institute here in Birmingham is being caught in the climax of the 2006 World Cup taking place in Germany.

As I write this, Italy and France have advanced to the finals, the last two teams left standing from the original 32-team field. I've seen how both earned their place in the final showdown that takes place on Sunday, which is quite unfortunate as I will have been in Naga by then. But I am going home a newly converted football fan (more popularly known as "soccer" over there, owing to the popularity of American football itself).

Maybe it will, somewhere down the line, become a good subject for an advocacy campaign in the Philippines. Without the requisite height, I simply do not see Filipinos making it big in basketball, a national pastime for at least four decades now. In football, we might have a better chance.

On top of my passion for education governance reforms and Bikol development, promoting football is one area where new skills I learned in managing an advocacy campaign (facilitated by highly competent practising British TV and radio personalities) can be put to good use. And Naga can be a good place to start.:)