Sugbu brings back bowling in Cebu

The members of the newly-formed Sugbuanon Bowlers United Association or Sugbu pose for a group photo during the opening of the “Sugbu League” at the SM Seaside City Cebu bowling center. | Glendale G. Rosal

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Bowling is finally back in Cebu! The newly formed Sugbuanon Bowlers United Association or SUGBU organized the very first bowling tournament in Cebu after the onset of COVID-19 in 2020 billed as the “Sugbu League” which kicked off on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, at the SM Seaside City Cebu Bowling Center. 

The 10-pin ‘league-type’ kegfest drew a total of eight teams comprised of five players, three of which play on every playing date. 

The participants of the tournament are members of Sugbu, many of which came from various bowling associations in Cebu who haven’t played tournaments like this since the onset of COVID-19. 

Edgar “Egay” Alqueza, Sugbu’s chairman-of-the-board and president, told CDN Digital that it’s high time for Cebu to bring back its glorious past in bowling. 

Alqueza is best known as one of the organizers of various national-level bowling tournaments in Cebu before the pandemic struck. 

“Nanirado na ang Bowlingplex (Gaisano) this year. We don’t have a tournament also. So, we decided to form a new group, without the politics which aims to revive and further widen the grasp of bowling here in Cebu,” said Alqueza. 

He also revealed that the Philippine Bowling Federation (PBF), the official national sports association (NSA) of bowling in the country, urged them to form an association under its fold to revive bowling in Cebu. 

After being formed earlier this year, Sugbu now has 72 members and growing. Many of its members are competing in the tournament which runs before Christmas Day. 

The tournament’s format is a single-round robin where the winners of each playing date earns one point. The top three teams will compete in the championship round. 

Also, highlighting the championship is a separate singles competition where the top 16 players will play. 

The champion team of this tournament will pocket P30,000, while the first runners-up receive P20,000, and P10,000 for the second runners-up. 

Besides the tournament, Sugbu also focuses on establishing a youth training program where young keglers get free coaching using topnotch bowling equipment. 

Their official training center and headquarters will be the SM Seaside City Cebu bowling center. 

After this inaugural tournament, Sugbu aims to organize a Sinulog bowling tournament in January.

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