Advertisement
Bookmark feature is for subscribers only. Subscribe Now

At Tour De Cebu 2026, Vintage Cars Take The Long Road

By

At Tour de Cebu 2026 collectors took their vintage automobiles on a three-day rally across Bacolod and Negros Island, covering 1,000 kilometers of open roads and scenic routes.

Bacolod became the starting point for four days of vintage sports cars and long drives, as Tour de Cebu returned for its 2026 edition. Held from October 21 to 24, 2026, the annual rally covered 1,000 kilometers across the region, gathering collectors and drivers from all over the country.

Entrepreneur Jay Aldeguer and furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue founded the event out of their longstanding affection for vintage cars. For Cobonpue, the appeal comes down to design. Asked what attracts him to older automobiles, he pointed to their “pure design,” a principle that also informs his furniture. This year, he entered the rally with his son Andre in a 1959 Porsche 356A.

READ ALSO: The Peninsula Manila Celebrates 50 Years With Its Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

vintage cars at the rally

The Rules Of The Road

Tour de Cebu bills itself as the country’s only 1,000-kilometer touristic and historic car rally. Its format, however, differs from what one might expect of an event featuring collectible sports cars. This is a regularity rally, which means drivers compete on timing and navigation rather than outright speed. At checkpoints along the route, they earn their scores by arriving as close as possible to their assigned times.

The format asks for a different kind of driving skill. A powerful engine and a light foot can only do so much when the clock matters as much as the road. Drivers had to keep track of their pace, follow the route accurately, and resist the temptation to treat every stretch of open road as an invitation to race.

Welcome festivities for Tour de Cebu 2026 were set at the iconic Ruins in Bacolod City
Welcome festivities for Tour de Cebu 2026 were set at the iconic Ruins in Bacolod City
Tour de Cebu 2026 articipants with co-founder Kenneth Cobonpue
Tour de Cebu 2026 articipants with co-founder Kenneth Cobonpue

A Rally In Bacolod

The Ruins served as the center of this year’s activities, with the program ending in an awards ceremony that recognized the cars, teams, and notable performances. The competition featured several classes, including the Roberto Aboitiz Class, Pace Chairman Class, Sportsman Class, Historic Tribute, and Clubman Class.

For four days, the rally gave these vintage machines a job beyond looking good in a collector’s garage. They had roads to cover, checkpoints to reach, and drivers to keep on schedule. The cars may have been built decades ago, but Tour de Cebu asks their owners to put them to work, with a thousand kilometers between the starting line and the finish.

Tour de Cebu 2026 officially commences at Northill Gateway Megaworld

Photos courtesy of Tour de Cebu


Frequently Asked Questions

Tour de Cebu is the Philippines’ only 1,000-kilometer touristic and historic car rally, bringing together vintage sports car enthusiasts for a competition focused on timing and navigation.

Tour de Cebu 2026 ran from October 21 to 24, 2026, in Bacolod, Negros Island.

Tour de Cebu was founded by businessman Jay Aldeguer and furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue, who share a longstanding interest in vintage cars.

Kenneth Cobonpue participated in Tour de Cebu 2026 with his son Andre in a 1959 Porsche 356A.

Tour de Cebu is a regularity rally, meaning drivers are scored on how closely they arrive at checkpoints according to assigned times. The competition prioritizes timekeeping and navigational accuracy over outright speed.

Julianna Cabili

Julianna Cabili

Writer

Julianna Cabili is a writer at Lifestyle Asia, specializing in profiles and interviews with designers, artists, and other creatives. After a stint in the nonprofit sector at The Center for Fiction in New York, she returned to Manila and began her career in lifestyle journalism at Tatler Philippines, where she developed a focus on fashion, culture, and the people shaping both.

She studied creative writing, global literature, and art history at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 2022. A textbook Pisces, she is currently on a quest to find the perfect everyday jacket and spends much of her free time crocheting and playing cozy video games.

Read Next

To provide a customized ad experience, we need to know if you are of legal age in your region.

By making a selection, you agree to our Terms & Conditions.