Central Visayas Regional Football Association president Rodney Orale is elated over the success of the President’s Cup, which attracted over 150 teams from Cebu and nearby provinces and staged over three days at the Cebu City Sports Center.
“All in all, it was a very successful event. It made us proud hearing comments from coaches, spectators and players that the event was well organized, from the organizing officials, to the technical support—the referees, security, medical team, ball boys and field marshall,” said Orale of the event, Cebu City’s first football festival in two years.
For more photos of the event, visit Lokality’s Facebook page.
Orale admitted that there were some complaints but these were not related to the games. Seven players from Tubigon, Bohol lost their money to thieves because they forgot to leave someone to guard their bags.
“Their happiness in playing football was replaced by sorrow when they found out they lost their money,” said Orale. Fortunately, the board decided to give them money for their fare and for food.
“I’m very thankful to the CVFA Board of Governors who supported the event, Chad Songalia, Nimrod Quiñones, Josey Guy Ceniza and especially to Engineer Noli Ferraren and Archie Reyes, who really worked hard to make the hosting of the event successful,” said Orale. “We are looking forward for another tournament soon.”
After the Presidents Cup, the CVFA is hoping to hold an awarding ceremony to close out the postponed Aboitiz Cup and start preparing for the next edition of Cebu’s oldest and biggest football tournament.
Meanwhile, only two teams managed to win more than one title in the festival, unlike before when the traditional football powers would dominate three or more divisions.
Cebu United won two titles in the Mixed 9 and Boys 17 divisions, while Sheba FC won the Boys 13 and Girls 17 divisions. The rest of the champions are Futbolitos FC Dumaguete (Boys 15), Pamplona Pontevedra FC of Negros Occidental in the Mixed 11-Under, Forza FC in the Boys 19, Urduja FC in the Girls 19, Danao FC in the Men’s 21, Winners FC in the Men’s Open, Fatboyz FC in the 38-Above, SR-KNF United FC in the 50-Above division and the USC Gurlz Alumni in the Ladies Open.