The Philippines’ first team competed in the 2008 HWC in Melbourne in December 2008. The team members walked where few homeless people and abandoned youth, have ever been. They proudly carried their nation’s flag and the badges of their caretaking institutions. They gave four months of their lives to reach this goal. The lives of the Philippine team members have been changed. These young people have been given an ability to dream bigger things and hope for what they cannot see.

Urban Opportunities For Change Foundation, the publisher of the Jeepney, is again organizing the Philippine HWC team. “Sport has the power to change lives,” said Mel Young, the founder of the HWC.

Sports are a venue for personal discipline, education, expressing emotions and developing physical health. Sports for the most poor and disenfranchised of society also tend to be the least structured and least opportunistic.

The goal of the Philippine HWC organizers is to change this trend. Building on the successes of 2008, the first National Tournament for the Philippine HWC will be held April 2009. Entry to this tournament is open all teams of homeless men and women. From this tournament 12 players will be chosen, eight regular and four reserve. Eight of those athletes will represent the Philippines this Sept. 6- 13 on the international level and get the chance to communicate, through football, the issue of homelessness in the world.