Cebu Football

THE Don Bosco United FC (DBUFC) showed it is the much superior team as it trampled the University of Southern Philippines-Foundation Alumni FC (USP-F Alumni FC), 4-1, victory in their Men’s Open match of the 12th Aboitiz Football. Cup yesterday at the University of San Carlos-Technological Center football grounds.

THOUGH the senior divisions may make the most noise in previous edition Tony Moraza of the Cebu Football Association said the Aboitiz Cup is all about the youth.  The Aboitiz Cup, which opened yesterday with one match in the Men’s Open at the University of San Carlos-Technological Center, makes it return after a one-year hiatus this year and offers competitions in the Men’s Open, Women’s Open, 38-Above, Players 8 and 10, Boys 12, Boys 14 and the Boys and Girls 17. 

http://sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2008/09/26/sports/team.cebu.city.gets.council.s.aid.tomas.lifts.ban.on.four.ans.players.html THE CEBU City government has allotted P428,000 to bankroll the travel expenses of the 78-man Team Cebu City to the Philippine Olympic Festival National Championships scheduled on Nov. 6 to 11 in Cagayan de Oro City.  Through the resolution of the Cebu City Council chairman on committee on games, amusement and sports Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem and Raul Alcoseba, the Council approved the financial aid which will be taken from the Pagcor funds.  “This is the first time Cebu City shoulders the entire expenses of the athletes going to the Philippine Olympic Festival,” Jakosalem told Sun.Star Cebu. 

(I was mentally composing this in the cab but my thoughts were interrupted by a lovers’ program the cab’s radio was tuned on. The words stuck, my apologies—ML)  WHEN I was in high school, my name came out in the national papers’ sports section thrice and they all got it wrong, one so horribly wrong.  Hilo Papa ___? Mangita ko’g tiksmeyt, bahala’g dili gwapo basta nursing….  During a national sportswriting contest, I placed third, (insert smug smiley) my name came out as Limpao. Then in a football match, me, the scorer was identified as Michael Limpay, and in the same tournament a year later, I was identified as Michael Limpas—and worse, I wasn’t even playing as I was no longer eligible.  How in the world could a spectator become the winning goal scorer? I’ve always wondered about that. How can they get the name wrong? 

YES, you read it right. This is no typo error and you read it here first.  The match is still three months away, but judging from the texts in the sports forum, it’s three months too late.  So what better way to end the speculation than to publish results of the fight, now? This way, I can also up the ante against sports analysts. They predict. I report.  So, like any modern-day quest for information, I scoured the Internet. And after hours of googling, I finally found this curious little website, www.futuresultsnow.com. 

THE Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. and the Cebu Football Association is ironing a clash in their football calendars to allow the collegiate teams to join the Aboitiz tournament.  Early this month, Cesafi reiterated its stand that student-athletes prioritize playing for the school-based league and shouldn’t play in other leagues while the season is ongoing.  In a letter to Cebu Football Association president Richard Montayre, which was also faxed to Sun.Star Cebu, Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy said, “I respect your request that we work hand in hand in the organization of the different football competition in Cebu….Since we have finalized our schedules in all sporting events, including football, which will start on Oct. 4 and will end on Nov. 22, may I respectfully request that your tournament be scheduled after our Cesafi tournament so that the varsity players can also play in your prestigious leagues.”  The Aboitiz Cup is scheduled to start later this month but in the last...

DEAR Sir.  An accident with a chemical concoction in 2001 transformed me into a football. (I was trying to gain super powers). However, life as a football wasn’t really that bad. I got to learn what footballs really want. (I’ve since returned to my human form in 2004—albeit minus a few brain cells—else I wouldn’t be able to write this). But, because of the accident, I learned that in Cebu, footballs only look forward to the Cesafi and the Aboitiz events. 

WITH the hullabaloo that the Cebu City Sports Center oval was getting, I thought, the best way to get to the bottom of things was to get the side of the subject, as any sane journalist should. So yesterday, off I went for a chat with the 14-year-old edifice. I asked permission from CCSC manager Ricky B, but he just stared at me and locked his door when I left. Still, it didn't stop me. Permission be damned, a sports editor can get away with lots of things you know. I introduced myself to the Eight Lanes. And boy, did I get a mouthful from the Eight! "The nerve! Idiot...We have nothing to say but thank you very much! Get your feet off me before I whup you! Crazy ...No comment!!!" I reasoned and cajoled, "Don't you want to air your side?" "You're one to talk about maintenance," said Lane One, "You don't even pay when you use us." " Freeloader !" To get their side, I knew I had to be honest. So I admitted flashing my press ...

I was quited surprised when I got the scores of some of the girls football matches in the Milo Little Olympics, so the next day, I checked them out. The team is good, and it's better that they are now playing for their school.   Here's an article from Sun.Star Cebu last Monday. http://sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2008/09/08/sports/stc.girls.football.team.makes.finals.in.first.try.html FOR a school that teaches girls to be feminine and conservative, it was a pleasant surprise to see a bunch of high school girls from St. Theresa’s College play rough and tough in the football field at the Cebu City Sports Center in the 13th Milo Little Olympics.  This may be the first time in Milo Little Olympics history that STC allowed its students to take part, but the team sent a clear message that nobody can push them around because they sure can push back. 

http://sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2008/09/12/sports/209.teams.sign.up.for.third.mizuno.cup.html A HEFTY crowd of football players will congregate in the two-day football 3rd Mizuno Football Fiesta which will kickoff on Sept. 13 and 14 at the University of San Carlos-Technology Center football grounds.  This year’s installment of the Mizuno football festival has attracted 209 teams from different clubs and schools in Cebu City and three from San Carlos City and a lady team from Bacolod.  “This year’s tournament is much bigger than last year’s tournament. Last year’s participants were about 160 to 170 teams,” said Don Bosco United Football Club’s Jim Karl Akiatan, one of the organizers of the Mizuno tournament.  This tournament will showcase 11 categories – Players 6, Players 8, Players 10, Boys 12, Girls 12, Boys 14, Girls 14, Boys 17, Girls 17, Ladies Open, Men’s Open and the 38 and above categories.  The only thing missing in this year’s tournament is the 19-under division which was el...

(from http://sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2008/09/10/sports/limpag.spare.the.kids.html) ALAS sais na is one of the most unique phrases of encouragement or slogans in local sports and is a signature call of Francis Ramirez and the Abellana National School (ANS) boys.  “It means to hustle,” Ramirez once explained to me while I was still handling the football beat.  At the Cebu City Sports Center, ANS is only allowed to practice until 6 p.m., before the bulk of the joggers take to the oval for their nightly exercise ritual.  A bunch of boys, football, and joggers don’t mix, hence the 6 p.m. limit.  Alais sais na means to give everything before the final whistle.  And ANS players, like most of the top teams in Cebu, do give their all in the crucial stretch.  However, for the rest of the year, ANS will have no need to hustle anymore after the team, and their coach, was ordered suspended by Mayor Tomas Osmeña for not asking permission from the Department of Education when they joined the Phili...

In my first post in months, I ended that article with why the Cebu Football Association sent two teams to the Philippine Olympics Festival--Cebu City and Cebu Province. Scratch that question.   If someone really wanted to throw a monkeywrench to the production line--and has a bit of money--we could have at least six teams in the POF. The POF is LGU-based, all a team needs to do is get the endorsement from an LGU to join the event.  We could have teams from Danao City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Carcar City, Naga City, Talisay City--and that's just the cities--in the POF.

From Sun.Star Cebu, by Rene H. Martel CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña will not reconsider the one-year suspension imposed on the Abellana National School (ANS) football team after its coach appealed that the players be excluded from the punishment.  The team joined a Dumaguete City sporting event last July without permission from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the City Government.  Worse, the school represented Cebu Province instead of Cebu City, prompting the mayor to ask for the imposition of a penalty.  After an investigation, Cebu City Schools Superintendent Lorna Rances ordered a one-year ban on the team and coach Francis Ramirez.  The order prevents the team from joining the Milo Olympics this Friday, the City Olympics, and other DepEd-sanctioned activities, including the district and division meets.  The ANS, therefore, does not have the chance to represent Cebu City in the Palarong Pambansa.  Interviewed by Sun.Star Cebu last Tuesday, Ramirez said he will accept the sanct...

During the launching of the press conference of the Milo Olympics last Sept. 4, I specifically asked Ricky Ballesteros what Abellana National School team was suspended.   He said, when he first got the memo, only the "ANS football team" was listed and he asked DepED for a clarification.  But the suspension stands. The whole ANS team is suspended.   Nevermind if only seven players, according to a source, from ANS played in that team.  Everybody will miss out on the Milo Little Olympics and the Cebu City Olympics.

Francis Ramirez, and the ANS football team has been suspended from joining tournaments for a year after joining the POF festival in Dumaguete. The team, which represented Cebu province in the tournament, asked permission from their principal, who in turn, failed to inform DepEd about their participation. The principal, in turn, admitted his lapse and is taking full responsibility for the error. But whatever the principal says now, or in the future, the team stays suspended from the Milo Little Olympics, and sadly, the Cebu City Olympics, which it has won regularly over the years. The Sun.Star report didn't say anything about the sanction against the erring principal, who I think, deserves to be sanctioned for sleeping on the job. The coach, according to the report, did his.  He informed the principal of the week-long tournament in Dumaguete.  And the players?  They did what anyone would do, follow where the coach goes. On the other hand, though failing to inform DepED may be the of...