Davao City officially opened the first season of the Davao Schools and Athletics Foundation, Inc. (DASAFI) Men’s Basketball Tournament on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at the Almendras Gym.
Participating schools from within and outside Davao included Rizal Memorial Colleges, Aeroviation School of Mindanao, Brokenshire College, Jose Maria College, UM–Tagum College, San Pedro College, Agro-Industrial Foundation College of the Philippines, St. John Paul II College of Davao, Lyceum of the Philippines University–Davao, and Cor Jesu College.
DASAFI Season 1 Commissioner John Paul “Pong” Escobal said the tournament aims to provide student-athletes with a platform they can look forward to each year.
“As an organizer, with the help of the City Government, we aim to provide student-athletes nga naa sila’y i-look forward to every year na prestigious event (that they would have a prestigious event to look forward to every year),” Escobal said.
He added that the goal is to establish a tournament similar to those organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in Manila and the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) in Cebu.
Escobal also shared that the long-term vision is to grow DASAFI into a major sporting event on the scale of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). He said they aim to stage the event annually, with basketball as the pioneering sport, and introduce more disciplines in the future.
He invited Dabawenyos, students, and basketball fans to watch the games for free at the Almendras Gym. Matches will also be streamed live on the official DASAFI Facebook page from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Davao City Sports Development Division Head Michael Denton Aportadera, Davao City Information Office Head Harvey James Lanticse, and Davao City Councilor Kristin Abdul Mercado graced the opening ceremony.
In his message, Aportadera encouraged athletes to seize the opportunity as a stepping stone towards greater achievements in basketball.
“Opportunities only come once. This opportunity is the same reason why you are standing here now,” he said.
He emphasized Davao City’s commitment to providing an equal playing field where teams unite in the spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie.
“We would want to get everybody together playing equally and harmoniously sa dula nga basketball. Sa atong bisita sa Tagum, sa Digos, welcome sa siyudad sa Davao kay diri sa siyudad sa Davao wala mi gina ila, kung taga Davao ka, Davao Region bisan asa pa pag-abot nimo sa Davao City, magkahiusa ta (We would want to get everybody together playing equally and harmoniously in the game of basketball. To our visitors from Tagum and Digos, you are welcome here because in this city, we do not discriminate—wherever you are from in the Davao Region, when you arrive in Davao City, we stand united),” Aportadera said.
He wished the athletes success in their games and expressed optimism that DASAFI would expand to include more sports in the coming years. CIO
