Partner's Cup debuts today

Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) six-time champion University of the Visayas Green Lancers-CDO Hamburger and league newcomer Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras-Skygo Motors will go up against separate rivals in the opening salvo of the Partner's Cup at the Cebu Coliseum today.

The Lancers-CDO Hotdogs take on Don Bosco Technology Center, sponsored by Guardo Arthro while the Cobras go up against the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, which is sponsored by Metro Gaisano.

Four teams were originally scheduled to play in the opening day today but two matches were moved to Tuesday with the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors meeting the Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT) Wildcats and the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars versus the University of Southern Philippines-Foundation (USP-F) Panthers.

The Warriors are sponsored by Hapee Toothpaste while the Wildcats are backed up by El Rancho Corned Beef Loaf.

The Jaguars, on the other hand, are sponsored by Virginia Chicken Hotdog and the Panthers by Cebu Landmasters.

The Partner's Cup, conceptualized by lawyer Baldomero Estenzo, is a school-based league in which the CESAFI-member teams are backed-up by corporate sponsors.

The distribution of the corporate sponsors was determined by drawing of lots.

The corporate sponsor, owners, managers or their representatives will be properly acknowledged in today's opening program. They are Mario King of Skygo, Jack Huang of Hapee Toothpaste, Edward Gaisano of Metro Gaisano, Atan Guardo of Guardo Arthro, Jerome Ong of CDO Hamburger, Joe Soberano of Cebu Landmasters and Stanley Go of the El Rancho Corned Beef Loaf and Virginia Chicken Hotdog.

Ramon Fernandez, the PBA's El Presidente and four-time MVP, is the Partner's Cup commissioner along with CESAFI commissioner Felix O. Tiukinhoy Jr.

Engr. Oscar Tuason, the CESAFI president will declare the tournament open and he will also assist Fernandez and Miss CESAFI 2006 Shedan Dusaban in the ceremonial toss.