THE Aboitiz Football Cup (AFC) will culminate this weekend, March 15 and 16, 2025, at the Dynamic Herb-Borromeo Sports Complex in Talisay City.
The champions of the Boys 16 and Boys 18 divisions from the different regional tournaments last year will compete in the Champions League, the culmination event of the AFC.
Cebu will be represented by Boys 18 champion Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) and Boys 16 titleholder Don Bosco-Liloan.
The Cebu teams will be defending their turf against the winners from the Davao, Tarlac, and Batangas legs of the AFC.
Davao will be represented by Davao Hyenas FC and Rovers FC, Clark International Football Academy and Don Bosco-Tarlac will be competing for Tarlac, and Blitzkrieg Football Foundation and Stingray FC will be the representatives of Batangas.
Following the Champions League on Sunday will be the distribution of the certificates for the tournament’s Wasteless Campaign and the awarding of trophies and medals to the winners.
Aboitiz Foundation president Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar, Coca-Cola Europacific Aboitiz Philippines (CCEAP) VP for Corporate & Regulatory Affairs Atty. Juan Lorenzo Tañada, AboitizPower Enerzones chairman Jokin Aboitiz, and Mactan Cebu International Airport CEO Athanasios Titonis will be attending the event.
Champions sustainability
This season, AFC continues to celebrate football excellence while reinforcing its commitment to sustainability.
AFC Season 24 introduced the Wasteless Campaign in partnership with CCEAP’s “Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo!” program.
Building on last year’s efforts, the Wasteless Campaign encourages athletes, coaches, and the football community to take part in the collection and recycling of clear PET bottles.
Through “Tapon to Ipon”, the goal is for all collected bottles to end up in PETValue Philippines — Coca-Cola’s pioneering, state-of-the-art recycling facility, a joint venture with Indorama Ventures — to give the bottles new life.
“The Aboitiz Football Cup is more than just a tournament. It is a platform to instill positive values among athletes and inspire communities to take part in meaningful advocacies,” says Hontiveros-Malvar. “This year, we are proud to reinforce our partnership with CCEAP to amplify the impact of our Wasteless Campaign, ensuring that our passion for football goes hand in hand with our responsibility to the environment.”
The Wasteless Campaign of AFC24 made a significant impact by instilling discipline and a sense of responsibility among participants while actively promoting sustainability.
By collecting and properly segregating over 1,000 kg of post-consumer clear PET bottles—roughly equivalent to over 53,000 pieces of bottles, the campaign not only highlighted its environmental benefits but also reinforced the importance of integrating sustainable practices into daily life.
“Through this partnership with the Aboitiz Foundation for the Aboitiz Football Cup, we’ve demonstrated that every action — no matter how small — contributes to a cleaner, greener future. We are incredibly proud of all the team’s achievements and the collective impact, not only on the field but also in our shared commitment to sustainability,” says Tañada. “This marks a first for our Tapon to Ipon: Basta Klaro, Panalo! program and we look forward to continuing our partnership as we work together towards a circular economy.”
To further maximize its impact, AFC partnered with host barangays and junkshops for the proper collection and sorting of bottles, adding value through effective waste management.
The AFC remains committed to sustaining its environmental initiatives in future seasons, strengthening its partnership with CCEAP, and reinforcing the football community’s role in the circular economy.
Through continued engagement, AFC aims to inspire athletes and fans to champion sustainability both on and off the field.
This initiative is made possible through the support of Aboitiz Foundation partners, including Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates, Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., CCEAP, and the organizing Central Visayas Football Association, with additional backing from AboitizPower’s Thermal Group and AdventEnergy. / EKA with PR