Tiukinhoy: CESAFI 2021 season in ‘wait and see’ situation

CEBU, Philippines — As much as they wanted to provide student-athletes with some sporting activities that have been stalled for several months now because of the global pandemic, Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) commissioner Felix “Boy” O. Tiukinhoy Jr. said nothing is certain yet as of the moment and that they’re in a ‘wait and see’ situation with regard to the league’s 2021 season.

In May last year, Cebu’s premiere inter-school athletic league scrapped its entire sports calendar for 2020 because of the clear and present danger brought about by Covid-19.

As the new year enters, the CESAFI is faced with a daunting question in the minds of many on what is in store for the league this season.

To get things going, Tiukinhoy presided over a virtual consultative meeting last Tuesday afternoon attended by all the 11 athletic directors of CESAFI member schools.

“Actually, it’s some sort of a ‘kumustahan’ because we haven’t seen and talked to each other since March last year,” said Tiukinhoy. “Along the way, they bring out their ideas particularly on what will be our plans for this year and what they think about it.”

Tiukinhoy shared that one of the topics they took up was the completion of non-sporting events covered in the CESAFI 2020 season.

“We want to finish the 2020 season. We’re in the second semester yet and we still have some academic and cultural affairs. We discussed if we can proceed with certain events such as declamation, oration, solo singing, and ‘balak’ because these are single events suitable for a stay-at-home performance,” said Tiukinhoy.

“The purpose here is reconnect with the schools,” he added. “At least we can have some activities for the students amid the pandemic.”

Tiukinhoy adviced the athletic directors to consult first with their respective schools about their plan so that they can prepare the needed guidelines once given the go signal.

On matters pertaining to CESAFI’s 2021 season, Tiukinhoy unequivocally admitted that they have to maintain a ‘wait and see’ attitude for now because everything remains uncertain even if the vaccine against the dreaded coronavirus has already been developed and is now on sale in the world market.

“We really don’t know what’s going to happen especially if we consider all factors involved,”Tiukinhoy said. “But we have to keep an open mind because we usually open our regular season in August yet. We have to consult back the schools. As of now, it’s a wait and see situation for us.”