WHEN June 1 arrives, expect fireworks — not in the sky, but on the football field.
The venue is the Cebu City Sports Center. The occasion: a match unlike any other. It’s called El Clasico. Not the Barcelona vs. Real Madrid version of Spain, but something much closer to home.
This is the Cebu El Clasico. Don Bosco Technical College versus Sacred Heart School–Ateneo de Cebu. Yes, it’s a rivalry. A heated one. But this isn’t high school. This time, the boys are all grown up.
It’s an alumni match. A celebration of friendship. A rekindling of pride. A tribute to the past and a kick toward the future. If Manila has the rivalry between La Salle and Ateneo, here in Cebu, particularly on the football field, it’s SHS-Ateneo vs. Don Bosco.
Thirsty Juices and Shakes is helping organize this historic event (after recently holding the 19th Thirsty Cup). We want to create excitement for football fans and to give the old teammates and old rivals a new 120-minute battlefield. To award a trophy — a tangible symbol of bragging rights — that stays with the winning school for one year. Until we meet again.
The match will be played in three halves. With flying substitutions. Sanctioned by the Cebu Regional Football Association (CRFA), led by our good friend Engr. Rodney Orale, who graced the launching last April 24, “El Clasico” aims to blend intensity with inclusivity.
Credit for the idea goes to Chad Songalia, an alumnus of both Don Bosco and Ateneo. During a CRFA meeting, Chad pitched the idea. With the help of fellow football advocates Milky Cañete (DBTC) and Mark Queblatin (SHS-AdC), the plan took root.
The response? Overwhelming.
Former players were quick to say yes. For DBTC, expect to see names like Glen Thomas Ramos, Kamil Amirul, Kenry Balobo, and John Clyde Vitualla. On the Ateneo side: Leo Maquiling, Kintaro Miyagi and Jack Zambrano.
The coaches are equally iconic. For DBTC, Glen Ramos — the heart of Don Bosco football. For SHS-Ateneo, Ref Cuaresma — former pro, grassroots icon, and mentor to many.
But El Clasico is more than just a game. It’s not about the final score or who nets the most goals. The real goal is to celebrate football — and to honor the camaraderie and friendships that have endured long after the final whistle.
Tickets (at a minimal cost) will be sold and all proceeds from the event will go to the football programs of both schools. El Clasico jerseys will also be available (at P650) featuring both camps.
Before the main match, the high school and elementary teams of DBTC and SHS-AdC will clash in friendly tune-ups — setting the tone and reminding us why we fell in love with the sport in the first place.
Football, at its heart, is about connection. And for one special Sunday in June, it will connect decades of Bosconians and Ateneans. It will reconnect the kids who used to sprint across the CCSC pitch under the afternoon sun — now professionals, fathers, coaches and fans.
El Clasico. Greywolves vs. Magis Eagles. See you on June 1.