Double win for Don Bosco in Aboitiz Football Cup finale

Cebu’s Don Bosco teams asserted their dominance in the recently concluded Aboitiz Football Cup (AFC) Season 24, clinching the top titles in both the Players 16 and Players 18 boys divisions. The national football tournament culminated on 15 and 16 March, 2025, at the Dynamic Herb-Borromeo Sports Complex in Cebu City, drawing top youth teams from across the country.

Don Bosco - Liloan Cebu emerged as champions in the Players 16 Boys division, while Don Bosco Technical College Cebu secured the title in the Players 18 category. The victories further cement Don Bosco’s reputation as a powerhouse in grassroots football development in the Philippines.

In the Players 16 division, Davao Hyenas FC finished as 1st runner-up, with Batangas Blitzkrieg Football Foundation taking 2nd runner-up honors. In the Players 18 category, Batangas Stingrays FC claimed 1st runner-up, followed by Davao Rovers FC in 2nd runner-up.

Several players were recognized for outstanding performances. In the Players 16 group, Xchyler Pantinople was named Most Valuable Player (MVP), while Mark Justine Silmaro received Best Goalkeeper honors. Zaeous Mikael Cortez, Nathaniel Alexis Tan, and Antonio Benito Canton were recognized as Best Defender, Best Midfielder, and Best Striker, respectively.

In the Players 18 division, Allister Louis Manlosa earned MVP honors. Eugene Christian Molleno was named Best Goalkeeper, John Lexter Conde was awarded Best Defender, while Godwin Velasquez and Cyrus Primar Ventura received awards for Best Midfielder and Best Striker.

The Aboitiz Football Cup, organized by the Central Visayas Football Association and supported by the Aboitiz Foundation, Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates, and Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc., has long served as a platform for developing young Filipino football talent. Now on its 24th season, the AFC continues to grow in scale and reputation, giving youth teams from across the country a national stage to compete.

As part of its ongoing environmental advocacy, the AFC also reinforced its Wasteless Campaign, collecting over 1,000 kilograms of clear PET bottles for recycling through its partnership with Coca-Cola Europacific Aboitiz Philippines (CCEAP). USC Alumni FC, SportsGen Int’l Academy, and Rongcales Futbolitos FC were recognized for leading the initiative among participating teams.

“Our partnership with the Aboitiz Foundation for the Aboitiz Football Cup highlights how even small efforts can make a big impact,” said Atty. Juan Lorenzo Tañada, CCEAP VP for Corporate & Regulatory Affairs. “This is a milestone for our Tapon to Ipon program, and we look forward to growing our partnership as we work towards a circular economy.”