By Karren Jay G. Asgar
Congratulations to the Secondary Boys’ Football Team for clinching the championship at the 2026 IloPRISAA Meet, with Redan Eugenio L. Ledesma named MVP and Rhianne Clyde V. Balitor earning Best Striker honors, as CPU looks forward to the collegiate competitions scheduled for the second semester of SY 2026–2027!
Central Philippine University (CPU) athletes secured multiple championships and podium finishes at the 2026 Iloilo Private Schools Athletic Association (IloPRISAA) Basic Education Sports Meet.
As host of the meet, CPU held the opening ceremony on August 1, 2026, at the Rose Memorial Auditorium. The university’s elementary and secondary athletes competed in various sporting events, earning championship titles, runner-up finishes, and individual awards.
In the elementary division, CPU claimed championships in boys’ swimming, girls’ table tennis, and girls’ volleyball. The elementary boys’ chess and football teams, girls’ swimming and taekwondo teams, and boys’ and girls’ tennis teams finished as first runners-up. The boys’ volleyball team also qualified for the Iloilo City Division Athletic Association (ICDAA) Meet.
In the secondary division, CPU earned championships in boys’ and girls’ athletics, girls’ basketball, girls’ 3×3 basketball, girls’ billiards in the 9-ball category, girls’ chess, Latin American and Modern Standard dancesport, boys’ football, girls’ futsal, boys’ swimming, boys’ and girls’ table tennis, girls’ taekwondo, and boys’ tennis.
Several teams also secured runner-up finishes. The boys’ and girls’ volleyball teams and the girls’ swimming team placed first runners-up, alongside the boys’ badminton team in the team event. The girls’ badminton team finished second runner-up, while the boys’ basketball team placed third runner-up, as reported in the university’s team results.
CPU’s girls’ basketball team captured the secondary championship, with Stephanie Caballero named Most Valuable Player (MVP). Bernadine Pearl B. Aguinido, Kaylle Leonice Beras, Roselaine Angela E. Gregorio, and Erica Denise A. Margarico joined Caballero in the Mythical Five. The girls’ 3×3 basketball team also took the championship under coaches Aaron Paterno D. Blanca, Rolando C. Oro, and Golda Mier Abello.
The secondary boys’ football team secured the championship, with Redan Eugenio L. Ledesma earning MVP honors and Rhianne Clyde V. Balitor named Best Striker. The secondary girls’ futsal team likewise emerged as champions, coached by Vince I. Arriola, with Natasha Gene F. Cabantug as assistant coach and Edgar Floyd P. David as goalkeeper coach.
In athletics, both the secondary boys’ and girls’ teams claimed championship titles. Xander Emmanuel J. Macado earned four gold medals and was named Outstanding Athlete in the boys’ division. In the girls’ division, Kirsty Grace F. Hurren and Aceziell A. Katipunan each won four gold medals and were named Outstanding Athletes.
CPU also topped the swimming competition in the secondary boys’ and elementary boys’ divisions. The secondary girls’ and elementary girls’ teams both finished as first runners-up. In table tennis, the secondary boys’, secondary girls’, and elementary girls’ teams each captured championships, with Miguel Ruiz A. Peredo, Elaiza G. Divinagracia, and Mary Clarisse A. Peredo winning gold in their respective singles events.
The secondary girls’ chess team won the championship, led by individual gold medalist Princess Nicole S. Tan. In dancesport, CPU’s elementary competitors won championships in both Latin American and Modern Standard categories. Zoe Alexandria D. Lanceta and Klynne Joseph F. Castigador won gold in the Latin American category, while Maxene Dawn L. Ortega and Art Josh S. Ramos claimed gold in Modern Standard. A second Latin American pair, Keziah Yzabelle A. Callao and Faizan Ahmed O. Qureshi, finished first runner-up.
Other notable finishes included the secondary girls’ volleyball team, which earned first runner-up honors and individual awards for Sambymel Angeli A. Chang as Best Libero, Chloe Charmelle E. Dequino as Best Opposite Spiker, and Bea Marie A. Albar as Second Best Middle Blocker. In elementary girls’ volleyball, CPU won the championship, with Ava Jannaj L. Buenaventura named MVP and Best Opposite Spiker.
The secondary girls’ billiards team also claimed the 9-ball championship through Guenevere S. Occeña. Meanwhile, the elementary boys’ football team finished first runner-up, and the elementary boys’ chess team secured the same placement.
The secondary archery teams and girls’ softball team qualified for the ICDAA Meet.
The tertiary competitions are scheduled for the second semester of School Year 2026–2027.