Organizers of the Cebu Marathon 2026 will replace single-use cups with reusable collapsible ones to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainability in partnership with Cebu City Hall.
The Cebu Executive Runners Club (CERC) will distribute the reusable cups for free to more than 10,000 participants.
The initiative supports Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival’s environmental campaign for a cleaner and greener city. CERC organizer John Pages said runners discarded around 200,000 disposable cups at 20 hydration stations during the 2025 marathon.
“This year, we’re giving every participant a collapsible cup. We hope they’ll bring it, use it, and help us cut that number drastically,” Pages said. Pages, along with Meyrick Jacalan and CERC president Jesse Taborada, presented the reusable cup to Archival during a meeting at City Hall on October 23.
Former councilor Mary Ann de los Santos also joined the meeting. Archival commended the initiative, calling it a simple but powerful way to make the city more sustainable.
“This is the first time I’ve seen something like this. It’s simple, but powerful. These cups aren’t waste, they’re resources. If we want Cebu City to be sustainable by 2035, we need to start now,” the mayor said.
He emphasized that the city must stop relying on plastic, which causes pollution and flooding, and urged other event organizers to adopt similar sustainable practices.
In a Facebook post, Archival expressed his support for the marathon’s eco-friendly program.
“I’m really happy with this initiative, especially now that people keep using plastic, which greatly pollutes our surroundings and often causes flooding. Let’s continue promoting a cleaner and greener Cebu,” he added.
The collapsible cups are lightweight, refillable, and designed for easy use at hydration stations to help runners stay hydrated without producing waste.
The Cebu Marathon 2026 will take place on January 11 at SM Seaside City Cebu. The event is now AIMS-certified, allowing runners to qualify for international races.
Registration for the 5K, 10K, 21K, and 42K categories is open until November 14. Earlier, Archival revived the city’s anti-plastic campaign by requiring City Hall employees to bring reusable tumblers to work and installing water dispensers in offices to reduce bottled water use.
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