Filipinas aim to build sustainable women's football program as they head into Women's World Cup

"We have to prove to everyone in the world na 'di tsamba ang ginawa natin."

("We have to prove to everyone in the world that we did wasn't a fluke.")

This is what Philippine women's football team goalkeeper Inna Palacios said on Thursday during a send-off event organized by the New Zealand Embassy as she reflected on the overall development of the Filipinas in less than two years.

Over the past years, the Filipinas achieved several milestones in the program such as winning a bronze medal in the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games, winning the ASEAN Football Federation Women's Championship crown, reaching no. 46 in the world rankings, and of course, booking the Philippines' first appearance in the FIFA Women's World Cup.

But for Palacios, claiming a World Cup slot should just be the start of a more sustainable program for the national women's team.

"I think that takes a lot of consistency in the program and grassroots program. At the end of the day, we're doing all of this to help develop the sport here in the country so we have to make necessary steps to do that."

Hali Long, meanwhile, was thankful that the management formed a team which helped them achieve their goals.

"We're really thankful that our management federation found a staff that they have fully trusted, gave them full reign to do everything they can to get us to prepare," said Long.

"Obviously, that worked out so well. Going to India, and then the SEA Games, AFF, from hereon, we were on such a high. Hopefully, we continue going into the World Cup, but we would like it to also be sustainable.

"We don't like this to be one time, big time. We're lucky to be there in our lifetimes to see the Philippine flag raised there in our lifetime. We would like to see it there more often."

With just weeks left before the World Cup, the two players expect nothing less than the most grueling training in their camp in Australia.

"We expect nothing less because we know how much work we need to be able to perform at a level that we all want," Palacios said.

"We're gonna have to dig deep and find something within us that we've never had to reach out before, to accomplish something we've all never done before," echoed Long.

"It will be a new experience, the training, and we're all excited to see how far we can push ourselves in training because it's gonna translate on the field and see how far we can push ourselves when it comes to the World Cup."

Long and Palacios were included in the Filipinas' 29-player provisional squad for the World Cup.

The Philippines' historic stint will kick off with the group stage matches on July 21 when they play Switzerland, followed by their match against one of the host countries New Zealand on July 25, and Norway on July 30.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News