MANILA -- The Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is looking to discover and develop talent through its grassroots program, Football Starts At Home.

The advocacy, founded by coach Tom Byer, is meant for children ages two to six. Through the program, they will learn basic ball skills at home, giving them the opportunity to bond with their parents while enhancing their learning abilities. 

"Building the advocacy among [35] Regional Football Associations is key to connecting with the community’s stakeholders. Building the advocacy among the educational institutions, ministries. More interaction between parents and students," said Byer.

The program looks to extend its reach to families across the country and establish strong ties with all federations.

The hope is that with the foundation they develop through the program, the young players can get ready for team activities as they grow older, and will then be honed by coaches towards becoming more competitive footballers.

"This is a flagship program that we believe will revolutionize Philippine football, not in the short term, not in the near future, but in the long term," PFF President John Gutierrez said.

"There has always been this belief, in my opinion, a misconception, that grassroots development should start between the ages of 6 to 12. This program will prove that learning football can start much, much earlier," he added. 

Byer recently returned to the Philippines to continue the tour and advocacy alongside Gutierrez and Head of Grassroots Dave Javellana. For the third activation tour, they have already visited Olongapo, Rizal, Laguna, Mindoro, Naga, Masbate and Leyte during the first week of October. Now, they are headed to Surigao, Tagum, Davao City, Sultan Kudsarat, M'Lang, Maguindanao and General Santos City.