CESAFI enters new digital era

CEBU, Philippines — Three debuting schools, one new sporting event, and a ground-breaking digital platform are in store for the highly anticipated Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) 2026 season, which will kick off with its centerpiece basketball tournament on Saturday, August 29, at the Cebu Coliseum.

CESAFI Commissioner Felix “Boy” Tiukinhoy, Jr. announced that the league is entering a new digital era through the CESAFI.ph, an online home designed to bring the league’s games, athletes, schools, stories, and statistics closer to its growing community.

“For years, the CESAFI has been a defining part of Cebu’s student-sports landscape, with competition and school pride shaping its legacy. Now the league is expanding that experience beyond the physical venue,” said Tiukinhoy during the formal launching of CESAFI Sesson 26 on Wednesday, August 26, at Marco Polo Hotel.

“CESAFI.ph provides a digital ecosystem where fans can now watch livestreams and weekly game recaps, follow the competition, view schedules and access game information, and stay connected with the athletes and teams that make up the league. Accessible through the website and a downloadable app, it covers the breadth of CESAFI’s sports and gives greater visibility to the matchups.”

Tiukinhoy said the platform also opens new ways for the league to tell the stories behind the games, including player profiles and live statistics.

“With the young athletes at the center of the experience, CESAFI gives them a digital space for their accomplishments to be recorded throughout their CESAFI careers and shared with schools and the wider community,” Tiukinhoy added.

“At the heart of this shift is a simple idea that each game is worth witnessing both within and beyond the venue, remaining accessible to subscribers even after the season. As home to Cebu’s student sports, CESAFI aims to give the next generation of athletes and their stories a space to be remembered.”

Meanwhile, a total of 13 schools, including newcomers San Roque College de Cebu (SRCDC) Greyhounds and PAREF Springdale Titans, will be competing in the juniors category and nine in the college division, including the debuting Univesity of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue (UCLM).

Pickleball (college level) will be contested for the first time in Cebu’s premier inter-school athletic league.

The other events in CESAFI sports calendar this year include athletics, badminton, beach volley, chess, dancesport, football, karatedo, scrabble, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, and e-sports.