Long before Marc Hayahay wore the Philippine colors in Indonesia, before he broke through as Adamson University's Rookie of the Year, and before he chased footballs under the bright lights of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), he was simply a young boy from Panabo City running across familiar fields in Tagum Agricultural Development Company (Tadeco), holding tightly to a dream bigger than his hometown. Today, that dream has become one of Mindanao's most inspiring football stories.
From Grassroots to National Colors
Hayahay has emerged as a symbol of how raw provincial talent, disciplined sacrifice, and unwavering faith can open doors once thought unreachable after earning a place on the Philippine Men's U17 National Football Team for the Asean U17 Boys' Championship 2026 in Indonesia. His ascent did not happen overnight. What started as childhood afternoons playing football in Tadeco steadily evolved into years of sweat, sacrifice, and prayer.
In 2025, Hayahay joined hundreds of hopefuls in Davao City for a scholarship tryout under Adamson University's partnership with Damosa Land Inc., the Don Antonio O. Floirendo Sr. Foundation, and PhilTec—a program designed to identify and elevate promising young athletes from Mindanao. Among the sea of dreamers, Hayahay did more than compete. He stood out. That opportunity changed everything.
The Panabo native earned a full scholarship and secured a coveted place on the Adamson University Juniors Football Team. Less than a year later, he did not just fulfill his ambition of reaching the UAAP—he pushed far beyond it, earning a national team call-up and stepping onto the regional stage as one of the country's chosen few.
“Wala ko nag dahom na gi dungog sa Ginoo akong mga pag ampo na maka apil sa Philippine Team ug UAAP. Isa lang ko ka bata nga nangandoy ani nga mga opportunity (I never expected God would answer my prayers to become part of the Philippine Team and the UAAP… I'm just a kid who dreamed of opportunities like these),” Hayahay said. His words capture both disbelief and gratitude—the voice of a teenager who knows his journey was built not just on talent, but on grace, sacrifice, and relentless effort.
Brotherhood, Sacrifice, and Gratitude
Football, however, runs deeper than individual ambition in the Hayahay family. Marc followed the footsteps of his older brother, Lee Christian Hayahay, who also secured an Adamson scholarship through the same Mindanao-based sports development pathway in 2024. Their shared rise has become a rare story of brotherhood, determination, and family pride—two boys from Panabo proving that greatness can emerge from grassroots programs when opportunity meets preparation.
“Sa kadaghan sa nag-tryout sa Davao, nagpasalamat gyud mi dako nga naapil mi sa napilian nga makadula diri (Out of the many who tried out in Davao, we are deeply thankful we were chosen among those given the chance to play here),” he said. For Hayahay, every breakthrough carries the fingerprints of those who helped him rise. He consistently points back to the people who shaped his path—his parents, extended family, coaches, and institutions willing to invest in a young athlete's future.
“Dako kaayo among pasalamat sa Damosa Land, ilabi na kang Sir Cary Lagdameo, ug sa among Mama, Papa, ug tibuok pamilya nga nag-suporta sa amoa. Kay kung dili tungod sa ila, dili gyud mi makaabot ani nga oportunidad (We are deeply grateful to Damosa Land, especially Sir Cary Lagdameo, and to our mother, father, and entire family for supporting us. Without them, we would never have reached this opportunity),” Hayahay said. He also made sure not to forget the mentors who taught him the game. “Nagpasalamat pod ko sa akong mga coaches kay kung dili pod tungod nila, dili ko makabalo aning soccer (I'm also thankful to my coaches because without them, I would not have learned this sport),” he added.
A Mindanaoan Blueprint for the Next Generation
While the Philippine squad's Asean campaign may not have ended with a championship run, Hayahay's selection itself marked a powerful victory—for Panabo, for Mindanao, and for grassroots football development. His journey underscores a larger truth: international dreams are no longer reserved only for athletes from Metro Manila or traditional sports capitals. Mindanao's fields are producing world-class ambition too.
Damosa Land president Ricardo Floirendo Lagdameo sees Hayahay's rise as proof of what strategic grassroots support can accomplish. “It's always inspiring to see our local talents from Mindanao continue to grow and make us proud,” Lagdameo said. “Stories like Marc's remind us why we do what we do—to support and create opportunities for grassroots talents.”
Hayahay's 2026 season only strengthened that narrative. Alongside his national team stint, he also earned Rookie of the Year honors in UAAP Season 88 boys' football—another milestone that reinforced how quickly he has evolved from hopeful prospect to legitimate rising star. Yet despite the accolades, his mindset remains grounded.
“Ako ug akong kuya, maningkamot mi na makahuman sa among pag-eskwela ug makab-ot ang among pangandoy nga mahimong player sa UAAP ug Philippine Team (My brother and I will keep striving to finish our studies and achieve our dream of becoming UAAP players and members of the Philippine Team),” he said.
For younger athletes watching from barangay courts, school grounds, or open fields, Hayahay offers a blueprint that feels both aspirational and attainable: Pray. Stay disciplined. Embrace sacrifice. Keep going. His life now stands as more than a football success story. It is the story of a Panabo boy who turned local afternoons into national opportunity, family sacrifice into international representation, and humble beginnings into proof that Mindanaoan dreams belong on the biggest stage. And somewhere in Tadeco, another child may now be chasing a football a little harder—because Marc Hayahay showed him it is possible.
