Ambassador Carlos C. Salinas participated as one of the speakers at a forum entitled “Real Madrid Without Borders” held at Villa Magna Hotel on 24 February 2015. The forum is part of a series of activities held in honor of Luis de Carlos, who served as President of Real Madrid F.C. from 1978 to 1985.
The forum focused on Real Madrid’s visible presence all over the world. Guest speakers shared stories, testimonies and insights on how the club, in their committed effort to promote football, continues to transcend borders and widen its reach. Other speakers were: Mr. Emilio Butragueño, Director for International Relations of Real Madrid F.C.; Mr. Ignacio Zoco, President of Real Madrid Association of Ex Football Players; Mr. Joe Arlauckas, former Real Madrid basketball player; Mr. Fernando Suárez de Góngora, General Manager of Fly Emirates, Spain; Mr. Mariano López, General Manager of the Viajar magazine; and Mark Devai, President of the Hungarian Real Madrid fans club. The forum was presided by Real Madrid Foundation´s Executive Vice-President Enrique Sánchez, also the organizer of this forum.
In his remarks, Ambassador Salinas underscored the importance that Real Madrid has given to the Philippines. Since 2011, the Real Madrid Foundation has expanded its presence in the Philippines, working with government, as well as communities across the nation. In 2011, together with Mapfre Foundation and a local NGO, Anakk Sta. Cruz, it established a socio-sporting school in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur. In 2013, Santiago Bernabéu hosted a charity football game, the proceeds of which were partly donated to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda; in March 2014, it included the provinces of Digos and Hagonoy of Davao del Sur in its Santa Cruz project; and in October 2014, Real Madrid and the Roxas Foundation signed a memorandum of agreement to develop two new socio-sporting schools in Nasugbu, Batangas and La Carlota, Negros Occidental. A month after the signing, in November 2014, Real Madrid Foundation´s technical team gave a training course to 18 football coaches who will run the socio-sporting schools in Nasugbu and La Carlota. In December 2014, Real Madrid Foundation conducted a football camp for 7 to 17-year-olds. Around 150 youth from Manila’s marginalized sectors took part in a week-long six-hour-a-day football clinic officiated by two youth coaches from Spain together with professional Filipino coaches.
Ambassador Salinas also mentioned the efforts of Senator Edgardo J. Angara in tapping both the government and private sector to create a Football Development Program in the Philippines and to establish two football clinics for coaches and players, in partnership with Real Madrid.
He also highlighted the role that the Philippine national team, the Azkals, has played in the revival of Philippine interest in football.