CEBU CITY, Philippines — All proceeds of the upcoming East Asia Super League (EASL) game at Cebu Coliseum will go to earthquake and typhoon survivors in Cebu.
The EASL partnered with the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) to turn the game between Meralco Bolts and Macau Black Bears into a charity event supporting those affected by both disasters, said Rocky Alcoseba, CCSC consultant.
The Cebu leg of the EASL was first organized to help victims of the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Cebu on Sept. 30, he said.
However, following the onslaught of typhoon Tino on Nov. 4, Alcoseba and EASL Philippines operations head Peeya Delos Reyes agreed to include typhoon victims among the beneficiaries.
“[N]aigo man sad ta og bagyo. Naa tay part ihatag sa earthquake, part sab sa mga biktima sa typhoon Tino, (We were hit by a typoon. We will donate part of the proceeds to the earthquake and to the typhoon victims),” Alcoseba told CDN Digital.
Alcoseba also said that he had been in discussions with Delos Reyes about bringing EASL to Cebu.
The brainstorming took place a few months ago, when the city had not yet faced any disasters.
The event, for Alcoseba, has since become even more meaningful.
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“I asked Peeya de los Reyes, head of the EASL operations in the Philippines if it would be possible to hold the game in Cebu,” he said.
“We worked it out, fortunately, before the earthquake. After the earthquake, I asked EASL to make the game a charity event and donate proceeds to the victims in the north of Cebu. Their president agreed,” Alcoseba said.
This event will also be a rare opportunity for Cebuano fans to see a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) team live.
Alcoseba, who previously invited the Bolts and other PBA teams to play for the Sinulog Cup, noted that scheduling conflicts prevented those games from happening in January.
“The EASL is a different tournament. It is like a battle of Asia’s champions leagues. We happened to speak with EASL while speaking with the Meralco Bolts. This is an important game because it is in the season,” he said.
The competing teams arrive in Cebu on Friday, Nov. 14.
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