Basketball icon, public servant Raul Alcoseba, 71: Farewell, Coach Yayoy

CEBU, Philippines —  Reelectionist Cebu City Councilor and legendary basketball coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba died on April 23, 2022 at the age of 71, his family confirmed.

“With deepest sorrow, the Alcoseba family announces the passing of Cebu City Councilor Raul ‘Yayoy’ D. Alcoseba who passed away peacefully on April 23, 2022,” Ramonito “Monmon” Alcoseba said in a statement posted on his Facebook page yesterday confirming the death of his father. “In loving memory of Councilor Yayoy Alcoseba, please include him and our family in your prayers.”

The announcement did not indicate the cause of death.

Alcoseba was a member of the 10th, 11th and 12th Sangguniang Panglungsod of Cebu City from 2004 to 2013. He returned to the Cebu City government in 2019 as a member of the 15th Sanggunian and was eyeing for a re-election in the May 9, 2022 elections under the banner of Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan.

Alcoseba also served as Provincial Board member in 2013 to 2016, then ran as mayor of Carcar City in 2016 but lost before returning to Cebu City as councilor.

Throughout his political career in Cebu City, Alcoseba sponsored a total of 34 ordinances, according to the secretariat.

Among Alcoseba’s approved ordinances were the City’s Dress Code and City Ordinance 2543 or “An Ordinance for the Provision of Annual Free School Supplies to all Public Elementary Schools in the City of Cebu and Appropriating of Funds Thereof.”

Alcoseba also authored a resolution requesting non-bank financing institutions like microcredit and pawnshops to extend affordable loan assistance to micro and small enterprises, and an ordinance urging the Civil Service Commission to conduct local online jobs fair exclusively for government agencies in the City in consonance with the 2021 government online career fair.

He likewise sponsored a resolution for all the barangay captains in the city to inspect all structures within their jurisdictions that may be considered dangerous or ruinous.

Alcoseba also proposed an ordinance giving tax deduction incentives to duly registered business establishments, a courtesy seat for seniors and pregnant women in all public and private establishments as well as providing free sanitary napkins, tampons, panty liners, and other hygiene products for qualified indigents.

To honor Alcoseba, the flag at the Cebu City Hall will flown on half-staff and a necrological service officered to him, said Mayor Michael Rama.

“I’m sad, very saddened… He is not only coach Yayoy. For he Rama family, he is the court-general, our coach for the Rama boys, that is why the Rama family who are very close to Yayoy, especially those who graduated in San Jose Recoletos, we all feel sad for the untimely demise of the coach, court-general, multi and very proud winningest coach and my colleague in the council for several terms,” said Rama.

The Freeman tried to reach BOPK’s Tomas Osmeña and his wife Margot regarding coach Yayoy’s death but they have not responded as of this writing.

Legendary Coach

A pall of gloom also descended on Cebu sports with the death of one of its strongest pillars.

Arguably the winningest coach in Cebu basketball history with countless commercial titles both local and national under his belt during his glorious years with the decorated M. Lhuillier ballclub in a space of three decades, Alcoseba also carved an indelible mark in collegiate cagedom.

Among his many enduring legacies, Alcoseba holds the record as the first and only coach in the annals of Cebu basketball to win three collegiate championships in different schools across three decades.

He first pulled the feat with his beloved alma mater, steering the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars to the Cebu Amateur Athletic Association (CAAA) title way back in 1985. CAAA is now the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI).

In that year, Alcoseba powered the Jaguars to crowning glory in all four major tournaments they joined including the Central Visayas Zonals, the Battle of Champions in Baguio City, and the National Inter-Collegiate Championships where they defeated Samboy Lim and the Letran Knights in the finals.

“For me, the best coach in Cebu basketball. Farewell coach Yayoy. My first coach as a varsity player. Thank you for everything," said Rey Michael Gurrea, who was a rookie player of the 1985 USJ-R Jaguars national champion team under the tutelage of Alcoseba.

Gurrea's teammates at that time were Jojo Lastimosa, Dondon Ampalayo, Peter Jao, Zaldy Realubit, John Burgos, Dan Bullecer, Rey Abarquez, Paul Abais, Ruben Abarquez, Bobby Navarro and skipper Mario Romano.

 Fourteen years later, Alcoseba piloted the Cebu Doctors' College (CDC) Stallions to the CAAA crown in 1999, the last season of the CAAA before it became what is now the CESAFI. Coach Yayoy completed his 'hat-trick' of collegiate titles in 2013 when he masterminded the Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras to the CESAFI championship.

After his five-year stint with the Cobras, Alcoseba took the coaching reins of the University of Cebu (UC), guiding the Webmasters to their first ever finals entry during his first season in 2017 and later on two consecutive Final Four appearances in 2018 and 2019.

 With UC, Alcoseba established a working relationship with former PBA star Dondon Hontiveros as one of his assistant coaches.

"As a coach, he knows how to bring out the best from his players. He has ways on doing that. In a way, na-develop sad iya mga assistant coaches because he gives them opportunities for growth," said Hontiveros, who is now the vice mayor of Cebu City.  "As a person, strikto tan-awon pero okay kakuyog. Daghan sad gyud makasulti ani nga in one way or another, natabangan sila ni coach Yayoy."

Likwise, former basketball star turned coach Felix "Donbel" Belano, Jr. immortalizes his former mentor with a grateful heart.

"I will always remember him as a good motivator. He was my coach in M. Lhuiller team. Disciplinarian kaayo. Pag basketball, basketball gyud. A man of wisdom. He's part of my basketball journey. Sending prayers of comfort, strength and peace for the bereaved family. He will be remembered as a servant of basketball," said Belano, the chief strategist of the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers who interestingly outsmarted his former coach when they clashed head-on in the 2017 CESAFI Finals.

PBA great and coach Elmer "Boy" Cabahug, for his part, said: "Such a sudden loss of a truly good person. Coach Yayoy is a good motivator and coach as he always pushes his players to succeed in the championships, and encourages them to be strong in mind and in body so as to prepare them for all that challenges they will face inside and outside the court. Aside from that he works his way to help those in need, may it be his players or the constituents as he also served as a public servant. We will miss him."

"Coach Yayoy's untimely demise is a big loss for Cebu basketball community and those who look up to him. Personally, he is my inspiration in achieving what I am now. What begins as a challenge to rival him on commercial tournaments become a lifelong partnership in promoting sports in the Visayas and Mindanao region. Rest in eternal peace Coach Yayoy," said tournament organizer and coach Van Halen Parmis.

 In between his coaching brilliance, Alcoseba ventured into public service. He was elected Cebu City Councilor for three consecutive terms starting in 2004.  He went on to serve as Provincial Board member of Cebu's First District from 2013 to 2016. He was elected again as Cebu City Councilor and served as member of the 15th Sangguniang Panlungsod from July 2019 until his death.

Alcoseba shined brightly as a public servant as in the sporting field.

"Coach Yayoy will be remembered as one of the most influential figures in Cebu sports history. With his deep voice and imposing figure, he stood as the fiery commander on the basketball court. Yayoy amassed more trophies than any other coach, possibly in the whole country," said Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) chairman John Pages.

 "As councilor, he helped craft the Cebu City Sports Commission and was involved in countless sporting activities. There was no larger champion of Cebu sports," Pages continued.

"We lost an icon in the southern part of the Philippines particularly Cebu. Coach Yayoy, as he was fondly called by his supporters, fans, and foes alike, was a very lovable and interesting person. He was a  good friend, in and out of the court, either you like him or hate him," said CESAFI commissioner Felix "Boy" O. Tiukinhoy, Jr.

"Coach Yayoy, we will miss you very much - your antics in coaching inside the court and your jokes as a pleasant person outside the court. Goodbye my good friend.  May the heaven’s lights shine upon you, may you rest in eternal peace."

Eddie Ybanez remembers fondly his longtime rival coach Yayoy as a dear friend. "We may be the fiercest rivals, mortal enemies or whatever you may call it on the playing court as coach, but we were the best of friends off the court. He was as a good and loyal friend and that's what matters most to me."

 "I am deeply saddened by the untimely demise of a good old friend, an icon in Cebu basketball/Philippine basketball. He lived a good life indeed but he sure will be missed by all of us. Wish I was able to say my final goodbye properly to him but he will be in our family’s prayers. To the loving family he left behind, our deepest sympathies," said basketball legend and Philippine Sports Commissioner Ramon Fernandez.

Alcoseba is survived by his wife Ramona and four children Djanina Tessa, Samantha Rei, Ramonito, and Rafael. - Caecent N. Magsumbol, JMD (FREEMAN)