Calogdong is a long time player of Philippine Air Force F.C. and was an enlisted member of the air force. He played for the club in the United Football League until 2012. He moved to another UFL club, Green Archers United in January 2013. Caligdon had a chance to play for another club when in January 2015, Cebu-based UC-ERCO Bro Nationals attempted to acquire service of several UFL players including himself through a loan for their stint at the 2014–15 PFF National Men's Club Championship finals. However the UFL blocked the loan move and insisted that players from the UFL can't play for other clubs even in competitions hosted by the Philippine Football Federation. The UFL insists that if Caligdong and other loaned players by ERCO suited for the club they can't return to their mother club. This is after other UFL teams complained the loaning of players from Green Archers United.
International career
Caligdong made his debut in the 2004 Tiger Cup , playing all four matches and scoring three goals. Two of those goals came in the 89th and 92nd minute in the 2–1 win over Timor-Leste, making it the first ever victory of the Philippines in the ASEAN Football Championship. He has also played for the Philippines U-23 at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games and in the pre-SEA Games tournament where he scored against Myanmar and Timor-Leste. On the first match of the Philippines in the Qualifying playoff round of the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification against Mongolia, Caligdong scored a goal in the 43rd minute. On September 30, 2011, Caligdong scored two goals in a draw against Hong Kong and two more goals on October 4 against Macau in the 2011 Long Teng Cup. Caligdong, who shrugged off injuries to score both goals against Macau, emerged the top scorer for the tournament, earning the Golden Boot trophy. On September 29, 2012, Caligdong scored a goal on the 34th minute in the last match of the 2012 Philippine Peace Cup versus Chinese Taipei which ended in a 3–1 score line. The Philippines got the championship title with a 3 win, no draw and no loss record. On November 27, 2012, Caligdong who came in as a substitute in the 2nd half and scored an important goal for the Philippines in a 1–0 victory against Vietnam in the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup. The Philippines eventually finished second in the group stage and qualified for the semi finals with a 2 win, 1 loss record. In November 2014, Caligdong announced his retirement from international football citing issues on maintaining fitness and plans to focus more on his club.
International goals
Coaching career
Caligdong obtained a "C" Coaching License sometime in 2014 and will coach the Green Archers United youth team. He is also aspiring to become an assistant coach for the national football teams. By March 2016, Caligdong is now the head coach of the national under-14 team and a playing assistant coach at Green Archers United senior team. In May 2018, Caligdong became the head coach of the University of Perpetual Help football team which plays in the National Collegiate Athletic Association of the Philippines succeeding Aaron Nebreja. Caligdong has acquired an AFC B license, UEFA B license, and a Canada B license by June 2020. By that time Caligdong is already coaching local teams in Ontario, Canada: as head coach of the Ontario Development League Boys Under-15 team and as an assistant coach of North Mississauga SC's Under-13 team.
Personal life
Emelio Caligdong is married to Renrose with whom he has three children. His family has been planning on emigrating and settling in North America as early as in 2009 but such plans has been delayed due to Caligdong's football career. Initially they planned to settle in Texas in the United States but they decided to move to Ontario, Canada in 2018 instead.
