How a Volunteer-Driven Club from Negros Carried Filipino Dreams to the World
In Tangub, Bacolod City, football does not arrive with sirens or spotlights.
It arrives quietly — on worn grass, under borrowed shade, carried by volunteers who believe that a ball can change a life.
This is the story of Gardenville United Football Club, Inc.
And of its beating heart— Buglas Futbol — a name that has become both a promise and a rallying cry for Negros Occidental’s next generation.
Founded in 2007, Gardenville United is not a club built on excess. It is built on service. On shared meals after training. On parents who stay late. On coaches who give time before asking for trophies. It is grassroots football in its purest Filipino form — bayanihan with boots on.
A Dream That Served Before It Sought to Win
At the center of the movement are Jiff and Gael, founders who saw football not as an escape from reality, but as a way to improve it.
For Coach Jiff — now the club’s Owner — the vision was always simple and radical:
If you teach the game the right way, you don’t just create players. You create people.
Gardenville United was born to unite, to discipline, to give joy — and to remind young Filipinos that excellence is possible even without privilege.
Buglas: A Name Carved From Local Pride
The story reaches further back, to 1995, when Alfredo Abellardo Bustamante III introduced football to Gardenville through a youth program connected to the Alaska Cup. The children who played then wore a name that felt like home: Buglas Futbol — a word that carries Negros pride in every syllable.
When the club was formally registered in 2007, the organization took the name Gardenville United Football Club, Inc.
But the team kept Buglas Futbol — not out of nostalgia, but out of respect.
Roots matter. Identity matters.
And Buglas never forgot where it came from.
From Adopted Schools to Global Stages
The early years were humble: school adoptions, neighborhood clinics, friendly matches designed simply to make kids fall in love with the ball. No shortcuts. No rush.
Then came growth.
Elite teams emerged. Competitions widened. And soon, Buglas Futbol was no longer just representing Tangub or Bacolod — but Negros Occidental, and eventually, the Philippines.
From Manila to Cebu, from Singapore to Australia, the message stayed the same:
We are here to play the right way.
Football for Life—At Every Age
Gardenville United believes the game belongs to everyone.
From wide-eyed 4-year-olds to late bloomers who find football at 17 and beyond, the academy opens its doors across age groups, training at least twice a week — Tuesday and Thursday afternoons—balancing discipline with joy, structure with freedom.
Because football should never steal childhood.
It should shape it.
Better Soccer, More Fun
At GUTD, development follows a modern, US-based curriculum built around an attacking philosophy. Players are taught to think, to express, to decide—not just to obey.
The ball is not feared.
Mistakes are not punished.
Creativity is protected.
Their belief is clear and refreshing:
Better Soccer. More Fun.
Coaches Who Teach More Than Tactics
Behind every session is a united coaching staff—licensed, experienced, and aligned in purpose. From AFC B and C license holders to PFF and US-certified coaches, they are educators first, tacticians second.
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Jiff Lomugdang – AFC B License, Technical Director
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Joshua Fegidero – AFC B License
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Elmer Lacknet Bedia – AFC C License
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Raymond Abindan – AFC C License
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Ludessa Silava – PFF D License
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Earl Bona – PFF D License
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Allen – PFF D License
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Rachelle Semillano – US F License
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Ron Molequin – US F License
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Luther Silava – US F License
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Their goal is not just to win matches.
It is to build disciplined, resilient, team-first Filipinos who carry values long after the final whistle.
Beyond the Pitch: Football for All
True to its soul, Gardenville United extends football beyond competition.
Girls’ and women’s programs.
Goalkeeper and futsal development.
School outreach.
Special needs inclusion.
From malls to adopted schools, the game is brought to the children—not the other way around.
Because access is the first step to equality.
When the World Took Notice
Buglas Futbol has tested itself against the best.
Alaska Cup (Manila).
Sinulog Football Festival (Cebu).
Singacup (Singapore).
Then came 2025.
At the 33rd Kanga Cup in Australia, one of the world’s largest youth football tournaments, Gardenville United stood tall—and came home with a Silver Medal.
It was more than a podium finish.
It was proof.
Filipino grassroots football belongs on the global stage.
Pathways, Not Shortcuts
Gardenville United measures success by who their players become.
Several graduates have progressed to PFF programs, professional environments, and national-level opportunities—not because they were rushed, but because they were ready.
Here, development is a journey.
Not a gamble.
The Impact You Can’t Measure
Not every victory is recorded.
Some are seen in improved grades.
In stronger confidence.
In children choosing discipline over distraction.
For many families, GUTD is more than a club—it is a second home. A safe place. A source of hope.
Community: The Real Sponsor
Parents, schools, and the local government stand behind Gardenville United—not as spectators, but as partners.
This shared support system creates something rare: an environment where young athletes feel protected enough to dream boldly.
Bigger Dreams, Bigger Responsibilities
The next three years are ambitious:
- Competing in the Verano Cup (USA)
- Expanding academy presence in Australia
- Building more football fields to meet growing demand
Yet challenges remain—especially the lack of permanent training grounds.
The dream?
A clubhouse.
A home pitch.
One day, a stadium was built for the community.
The Night Australia Felt Like Home
Perhaps the most unforgettable moment came during the Girls U-15 team’s intercontinental tournament in Australia in July 2025.
Thousands of kilometers away—yet the stands were filled with Filipino voices, flags, and pride. The support was so overwhelming that even opponents felt it.
In the finals, an Australian team jokingly grabbed a Philippine flag.
It was laughter—but also respect.
Unity travels.
Identity echoes.
One Mind. One Passion.
Gardenville United lives by these words: Better Soccer, More Fun.
They march under one motto: One Mind, One Passion.
And they shout their chant with joy and fire: “Tenoheko, Banzai!”
For the Next Filipino Dreamer
If you are a child playing barefoot on concrete…
A parent wondering if sport is worth it…
A coach starting with nothing but belief —
Gardenville United has a message for you:
Believe. Dream big. Start where you are.
Because the smallest fields can grow the biggest futures.
ONEFUTBOL SALUTE
OneFutbol proudly salutes Gardenville United Football Club, Inc. ( Buglas Futbol) for carrying Filipino football with pride — at home and abroad.
With heart, discipline, and unity, Buglas Futbol shows the world what Filipino grassroots football truly stands for.
One Mind. One Passion.
Carrying a nation’s dreams forward on the pitch.
📣 Want to support or join the journey?
Send a message to their Facebook page or email them at mahoganydrug@gnail.com and be part of the Buglas Futbol family.
