The CFA is no more and we should all celebrate.

Minutes before the start of the Leylam vs. Erco finals match in the Aboitiz Cup men's open, I had a brief chat with Cebu Football Association president Ricky Dakay and he told me, "You are going to witness history later. The CFA will be no more."

Later came at half-time and the CFA is or was the Cebu Football Association. Philippine Football Federation secretary general Ed Gastanes told the assembled coaches why the CFA, the PFF's model member, has to die.

Upon recommendations of Fifa, the PFF was told to reduce the number of member associations (MAs) from 33 to 17--to coincide with the number of regions of the country in 2013--but the PFF manage to wiggle out a compromise; it won't reduce the number of MAs, but all 33 must cover all areas of the country.

Why the Philippines, a struggling footballing nation, have so many MAs is a product of its problematic past, when PFF presidents court votes from FA presidents (The more, the merrier) and this realingment is the PFF gettting on with the Fifa program.

So, the Cebu Football Association is no more, ratified by the coaches present during that half-time meeting and from its ashes will rise the Central Visayas Football Association. Of all the MAs of the PFF, I think it's Cebu that's taking the first step in changing its statutes as it has always done in other areas.

Under the new statues, the board of directors will be more inclusive; unlike in the previous set-up, where the top eight vote getters sit on the board, the new board will have representatives from the coaches, referees, women's football, futsal and other areas.

"Even the football suppliers will have their voice," Ricky said.

When I got to look at the statutes a few months ago, I think even the people behind tournaments like the SunStar Cup or the Thirsty Cup can have their say. It is that inclusive.

Ricky was right. It was history and it is rare to witness the death of an organization and see the birth of a new one. Cebu football, or Central Visays football, is at its crucial stage.

And to succeed, CVFA must learn from CFA's success; get the right people in charge and get everybody involved. We all now how divisive the CFA was in previous years and we all now how it managed to overcome that.

Factionalism still exists—you can't help it in a competitive environment—but not to the point where the organization is hampered.

For the new setup, coaches and stakeholders must learn to change their way of thinking—fro “is this good for Cebu football” to “is this good for Central Visayas football.?

The CVFA is in its infancy, everyone is going to have their part in its success, or failure.