Wikipedia

Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc.

The Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) is a sports and academic association of 17 schools, colleges and universities in Cebu, Philippines. The CESAFI was established in 2001.[1]

Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc.
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2023–24 CESAFI season
SportList of sports events
Founded2001
PresidentPaulino A. Yabao
(University of Southern Philippines Foundation)
CommissionerFelix Tiukinhoy, Jr.
No. of teams17
CountryPhilippines
Related
competitions		Philippine Collegiate Champions League

History edit

Before the creation of the CESAFI, there was already a collegiate league in Cebu, named the Cebu Amateur Athletic Association (CAAA), also formerly known as Cebu Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The league was created sometime in the 1930s and was the country's second college sports league, only preceded by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) which was created in 1924, and way before the creation of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) in 1938. CAAA was regarded as clearly the best college sports league outside Metro Manila and one of the three major college leagues together with the UAAP and the NCAA, both of which are based in Manila. The CAAA has had a rich history from the 1930s until it dissolved in 2000, producing top Filipino basketball players such as Ramon Fernandez of USC, regarded as the greatest Filipino basketball player during the golden years of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in the 1970s and 1980s, alongside two-time PBA MVP Abet Guidaben, Jojo Lastimosa, Zaldy Realubit, Bernie Fabiosa, and Dondon Ampalayo of University of San Jose–Recoletos (USJ-R). Other collegiate greats who became PBA legends include PBA star Dondon Hontiveros and Biboy Ravanes of the University of Cebu (UC), and Boy Cabahug, Al Solis and superstar Manny Paner of the University of the Visayas (UV).

CAAA took an unexpected turn going into the new millennium. In 1999, league commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy, Jr. barred a player of Salazar Institute of Technology (now Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology) on the basis of the said player's eligibility. The following year, 2000, saw another controversy in the high school basketball division. The University of San Carlos, Salazar Institute of Technology, and Don Bosco Technology Center were all tied at second place, with identical 3–2 win loss records, with the second-placed team set to face the University of the Visayas in the finals of the high school basketball division. However, confusions surrounding the quotient system to break the tie between the three teams cost Salazar the second place and, subsequently, a spot in the finals.[2] These events caused the school to file a case against Tiukinhoy and the CAAA. However, a couple of months after the ordeal, the CAAA ceased to exist, and in place came in a new league, named as the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. or CESAFI. The CESAFI was basically the same league but with a different name with the same teams except for Salazar, which was denied entry for the new league. The Southwestern University, who were the champions of the last season of the CAAA in 2000, despite being included in the CESAFI, decided against fielding a team in the new league. However, on 2007, SWU eventually returned to compete in the CESAFI.

In the league's first 9 years, the University of the Visayas was considered to be the league's powerhouse, winning the basketball tournament for 9 consecutive years and was a contender for basically all the sports of the league. However, this changed in the league's 10th season, after the University of Cebu, led by June Mar Fajardo, became the first team other than UV to win the basketball championship. In addition, the University of San Jose–Recoletos won the men's and women's volleyball championship, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation won the athletics championship. The University of Cebu also won the tennis tournament, a sport which UV has also dominated for a long time.

In 2013, a high school basketball player named Scott Aying, son of former PBA player Danny Aying, was ruled ineligible after failing to serve a two-year residency period after transferring from San Beda College to the University of San Carlos. Aying's parents sought legal action against CESAFI and the league's commissioner, Felix Tiukinhoy, Jr. Aying's parents argued that Tiukinhoy and other league officials “wrongfully interpreted the tournament’s rules and "unjustly disqualified" our son".[3] The judge later allowed the younger Aying to play, stating that Aying did not violate the league's two-year residency rule.[4][5]

In 2015, Southwestern University was found to have fielded overaged basketball players in their high school team after it was discovered that nine of its players have submitted the tampered versions of their birth certificates. To avoid inflicting more damage to the school's name, SWU eventually pulled out all of its teams in the high school division and also considered to pull out all of its college teams but decided not to as the school is considered a perennial contender in the college division especially in the basketball championship.[6] The university had also issued an apology to the CESAFI about this incident.[7] However, SWU eventually returned to the high school division the following year.[8]

In the 2018–19 CESAFI season, University of Cebu – Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue Campus became the thirteenth member school to join the CESAFI tournament.[9]

The CESAFI was one of the many sports leagues affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. The pandemic forced the league to cancel its 2020 and 2021 seasons.[10]

In 2022, the University of the Philippines Cebu confirmed its participation in the CESAFI, becoming its 14th member school.[11][12]

Member schools edit

College division edit

There are a total of sixteen member schools in the college division.

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Population School colors
Benedicto College Mandaue 2000 Private, Non-secterian Cheetahs ---    
Cebu Eastern College Cebu City 1915 Private, Non-sectarian Dragons ---      
Cebu Doctors' University Mandaue 1973 Private, Non-sectarian White Stallions ~10,000    
Cebu Institute of Technology – University Cebu City 1946 Private, Non-sectarian Wildcats ~35,000    
Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges Bogo City 1947 Private, Non-sectarian Mustangs ---    
Don Bosco Technical College Cebu City 1954 Private (Salesian) Greywolves ---    
Felipe R. Verallo Foundation College Bogo City 1988 Private, Non-sectarian Blue Dragons ---    
Southwestern University PHINMA Cebu City 1946 Private, Non-sectarian Cobras ~13,000    
University of Cebu Cebu City 1964 Private, Non-sectarian Webmasters ~61,000    
University of Cebu – Lapu-Lapu & Mandaue Campus Mandaue City 1995 Private, Non-sectarian UC–LM Webmasters    
University of San Carlos Cebu City 1595 Private (Society of the Divine Word) Warriors ~27,000      
University of San Jose–Recoletos Cebu City 1947 Private (Augustinian Recollect) Jaguars ~14,000      
University of Southern Philippines Foundation Cebu City 1927 Private, Non-sectarian Panthers ~18,000    
University of the Philippines Cebu Cebu City 1918 Public Fighting Maroons ~2,000    
University of the Visayas Cebu City 1919 Private, Non-sectarian Green Lancers ~35,000    
Velez College Cebu City 1966 Private, Non-sectarian Velezians ~35,000    

High school division edit

There are thirteen member schools in the high school division. All ten schools in the college division have a team in the high school division. Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu, as a K-12 school, is the only member without an affiliated team in the college division, while Velez College does not have a high school division affiliate.

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Population School Colors
Cebu Doctors' University Mandaue City 1975 Private, Non-sectarian White Stallions ~17,500    
Cebu Eastern College Cebu City 1915 Private, Non-sectarian Baby Dragons ---      
Cebu Institute of Technology – University Cebu City 1946 Private, Non-sectarian Wildkittens ---    
Don Bosco Technology Center Cebu City 1954 Private, Salesian Baby Greywolves ---    
Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu Mandaue City 1955 Private, Jesuits Magis Eagles ---    
Southwestern University PHINMA Cebu City 1946 Private, Non-sectarian Baby Cobras ---    
University of Cebu Cebu City 1964 Private, Non-sectarian Junior Webmasters ---    
University of Cebu – Lapu-Lapu & Mandaue Campus Mandaue City 1995 Private, Non-sectarian UCLM Junior Webmasters ---    
University of San Carlos – Basic Education Department Cebu City 1595 Private, Society of the Divine Word Baby Warriors ---      
University of San Jose–Recoletos Cebu City 1947 Private, Augustinian Recollect Baby Jaguars ---      
University of Southern Philippines Foundation Cebu City 1927 Private, Non-sectarian Baby Panthers ---    
University of the Philippines High School Cebu Cebu City 1918 Public Junior Fighting Maroons NA    
University of the Visayas Cebu City 1919 Private, Non-sectarian Baby Lancers ---    

Guest members edit

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Population School colors
City of Bogo Science and Arts Academy Bogo, Cebu 2012 Public Trailblazers NA    
The Sisters of Mary School-Boystown Minglanilla, Cebu 1992 Private, Sisters of Mary Aloysians 2,200    

Events edit

The CESAFI sets itself apart from other Philippine inter-school leagues as aside from its sporting events, it also holds academic and cultural events, which are contested and participated by all of its member schools.[13] As of 2018, CESAFI has 15 sporting events, and 14 academic and cultural events.[14]

Sports edit

The league, as of 2018, has ten schools competing in 15 different sports:

The league also plans to add golf, weightlifting[15] and bowling[16] in the far future. Unlike the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, CESAFI teams do not compete for an overall championship.

Academic and cultural events edit

As of the 2018 season, CESAFI has twelve schools competing in 14 academic and cultural events. These events consist of the following:[14]

CESAFI Basketball Championship edit

CESAFI Basketball Championship
SportBasketball
Founded2001
No. of teams22 teams (as of 2023):
  • 11 - College division
  • 11 - High school division
Most recent
champion(s)
Most titles

CESAFI's basketball tournament is arguably its most popular event, and is considered one of the country's top collegiate basketball tournaments, along with the UAAP and NCAA's basketball tournaments. Below is the list of champions of the CESAFI Basketball Tournament.

List of CESAFI basketball champions edit

Academic
Year 		College High school
2001–02   University of the Visayas   University of the Visayas
2002–03   University of the Visayas   University of San Jose – Recoletos
2003–04   University of the Visayas   University of the Visayas
2004–05   University of the Visayas   University of the Visayas
2005–06   University of the Visayas   University of the Visayas
2006–07   University of the Visayas   University of Cebu
2007–08   University of the Visayas   University of the Visayas
2008–09   University of the Visayas   University of Cebu
2009–10   University of the Visayas   Cebu Institute of Technology
2010–11   University of Cebu   Cebu Eastern College
2011–12   University of Cebu   University of the Visayas
2012–13   Southwestern University   Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu
2013–14   University of the Visayas
No champion awarded
2014–15   Southwestern University   Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu
2015–16   University of San Carlos   Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu
2016–17   University of the Visayas   Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu
2017–18   University of the Visayas   University of the Visayas
2018–19   University of the Visayas   University of Cebu
2019–20   Southwestern University   Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu
2020–21
Tournament canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[17]

Most Valuable Players edit

Season edit

Season College High school
College MVP School High school MVP School
2001 Jerry Cavan   Cebu Institute of Technology Reed Juntilla   University of the Visayas
2002 Neil Rañeses   University of the Visayas Ranulfo John Malinao   University of San Jose – Recoletos
2003 JR Quiñahan   University of the Visayas Harold Cincoflores   University of the Visayas
2004 JR Quiñahan   University of the Visayas Eulogio Lasala, Jr.   University of the Visayas
2005 Mark Ababon   University of the Visayas Phil Mercader   University of the Visayas
2006 Enrico John Llanto   University of San Carlos Reynan Capoy †   University of Cebu
2007 Enrico John Llanto   University of San Carlos Junard Premacio   University of the Visayas
2008 Greg Slaughter   University of the Visayas Marty John Pearce   University of Cebu
2009[cm 1]
 Greg Slaughter   University of the Visayas Mark Jayven Tallo   Cebu Institute of Technology
June Mar Fajardo   University of Cebu
2010 June Mar Fajardo   University of Cebu Nikee Montalvo   Cebu Eastern College
2011 June Mar Fajardo   University of Cebu Paul Desiderio   University of the Visayas
2012 Wowie Escosio   University of the Visayas Dawn Hynric Ochea   Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu
2013 Mark Jayven Tallo   Southwestern University Justine Dacalos   University of Cebu
2014 Mark Jayven Tallo   Southwestern University Felixberto Jaboneta IV   Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu
2015 Shooster Olago   University of San Carlos Jed Cedrick Colonia   Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu
2016 Rey Anthony Suerte   University of the Visayas Jed Cedrick Colonia   Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu
2017 Jaybie Mantilla   University of San Jose-Recoletos Beirn Anthony Laurente   University of the Visayas
2018 Rey Anthony Suerte   University of the Visayas Jerick Jan Ranido   University of Cebu
2019 Shaquille Imperial   Southwestern University LA Casinillo   Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu
2020
None[cm 2]
Notes
  1. ^ Fajardo and Slaughter shared the MVP award in 2009.
  2. ^ Tournament canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[17]

Number of championships by school edit

University/School College High school Total Last championship
  University of the Visayas 14 7 21 2023–24 College
  University of Cebu 2 3 5 2018–19 High school
  Sacred Heart School – Ateneo de Cebu 0 6 6 2023–24 High school
  Southwestern University PHINMA 3 0 3 2019–20 College
  University of San Carlos 1 0 1 2015–16 College
  Cebu Eastern College 0 1 1 2010–11 High school
  Cebu Institute of Technology – University 0 1 1 2009–10 High school
  University of San Jose – Recoletos 0 1 1 2002–03 High school

Media coverage edit

Since its inception in 2001, replacing the old Cebu Amateur Athletic Association, CESAFI has received extensive coverage from the Cebu media and local and national newspapers like Sun.Star and The Philippine Star, but still lags behind in terms of its Manila-based counterparts UAAP and the NCAA in terms of publicity. Also, unlike the UAAP and NCAA, CESAFI had no national television partners. However, this changed as on its 15th season, the CESAFI went into nationwide TV coverage after signing an agreement with IBC 13 and Viva Sports. This agreement allowed the basketball, football and volleyball games to be televised on the channel.[18] For its 16th season, CESAFI and Viva Sports partnered with AksyonTV to broadcast the basketball games, which is aired every Monday to Friday from 6 to 8 p.m.[19] For its 19th season, the CESAFI is working with different student volunteers from the various member schools for the production coverage of the basketball games. The endeavour is called "CESAFI Live" and was hatched by long-time commissioner, Felix Tiukinhoy, Jr., who expressed his desire to create an environment where students are not just mere spectators. “We take CESAFI one step further this Season 19, not only by improving the environment for our student-athletes and other event contenders, but also by including more students not merely as spectators and fans, but as actual organizers and managers of various committees that make CESAFI a success,” said Tiukinhoy. All season long, the students would handling different elements of the production coverage such as camera handling, courtside reporting and annotating.

See also edit

External links edit

References edit

  1. ^ Philstar.com: "...since the inception of the CESAFI in 2001."
  2. ^ Limpag, Mike (September 22, 2013). "Limpag: Of lawsuits, the CAAA and Cesafi". SunStar. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  3. ^ Panerio, Jonas (September 19, 2013). "Legal battle plays out on centercourt as Cebu league hit by TRO over Aying eligibility". Spin.ph. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  4. ^ Mayol, Ador Vincent; Napallacan, Jhunnex (October 2, 2013). "Judge issues order against Cesafi, says Scott Aying didn't violate league's rules". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  5. ^ Manto, Mylen P. (October 2, 2013). "Court rules athlete can play in CESAFI". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  6. ^ Manlosa, Rommel C. (July 29, 2015). "To save face, SWU pulls out high school squad". Sun.Star. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  7. ^ Villaruel, Emmanuel (July 31, 2015). "SWU says sorry to CESAFI". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  8. ^ "Baby Cobras try their luck again in Cesafi". SunStar. June 21, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  9. ^ "UCLM to join major event before Cesafi starts". Sun.Star. August 14, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  10. ^ Ochoa, Brian J.; Alison, Mars G. (May 1, 2020). "Cesafi cancels 2020 season due to COVID-19 threat". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  11. ^ Villaruel, Emmanuel B. (September 17, 2022). "UP Cebu moapil sa CESAFI sa labing unang higayon" [UP Cebu joins the CESAFI for the first time]. Banat News. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  12. ^ Rosal, Glendale G. (September 17, 2022). "UP Cebu launches its varsity program, gets ready for upcoming Cesafi". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  13. ^ Ballesteros, Jan (August 25, 2018). "New Cesafi season unfolds, SWU wins opening game". ESPN5. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  14. ^ a b Alison, Mars (November 3, 2018). "Cesafi academic and cultural events TO UNFURL NOV. 20". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  15. ^ Villaruel, Emmanuel (July 17, 2013). "CESAFI mulls adding golf and weightlifting this year". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  16. ^ Limpag, Mike (September 19, 2015). "Limpag: Will bowling meet Cesafi's conditions?". Sun.Star. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  17. ^ a b Ochoa, Brian J.; Alison, Mars G. (May 1, 2020). "Cesafi cancels 2020 season due to COVID-19 threat". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  18. ^ Alison, Mars (July 29, 2015). "CESAFI basketball to be televised nationwide for the first time". Rappler. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  19. ^ "CEBU'S FIERCELY COMPETITIVE COLLEGIATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE, CESAFI, TO BE TELECAST ON AKSYON TV". Philboxing. August 1, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
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