New look CCSC: Top sports doctor back in the fold

CEBU, Philippines — Renowned sports doctor Rhoel Dejaño is making a return as commissioner of the Cebu City Sports Commission (CSCC).

Chairman John Pages announced that Dejaño, a sought-after physiatrist and an expert in sports rehabilitation and sports conditioning, forms part of the new look CSCC.

"We welcome the entry of Dr. Dejaño, who was with the CCSC years ago. His return is timely because, given the Covid-19 pandemic that we are undergoing, we need to organize programs that will help the fitness and good health of the Cebuanos," Pages said.

"As one of the top sports doctors in Cebu, Dr. Dejaño has helped thousands of athletes and patients become healthier. We're looking forward to working with him to make Cebu a robust and active city," Pages added.

Dejaño, the first Filipino doctor to complete the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Diploma Course in Sports Medicine, said he is extremely grateful to mayor Michael Rama for reappointing him to another term as one of the commissioners of the CCSC, which he previously served for six consecutive years from 2013 to 2019.

"As a rehabilitation medicine and sports medicine specialist, I will continue to help the commission by taking care of the health of the athletes and coaches as well as to contribute on the improvement of their performance especially on the area of sports conditioning, which is one of my expertise," said Dejaño, the league physician of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI).

Dejaño, the team physician and conditioning head of the University of San Carlos (USC) and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) basketball teams, shared that he plans to invite experts on the field of sports psychology and sports nutrition to share their knowledge to local coaches and athletes to better prepare them for future competitions.

"At this time and age, you don’t only need to have good skills to win championships but you also need a sound mind and a good fuel to make your body perform better," said Dejaño, who is also the team physician of Cebu Football Cub and Sherilin-Unisol Mandaue City Plastic Men currently seeing action in the 2022 Pilipinas Super League (PSL) 21 Under-VisMin leg.

"I am looking forward to working with our chairman John Pages who is a good friend and who also shares the same passion for sports and the other commissioners whom I have also worked with before. We may come from different backgrounds, but at the end of the day we share a common goal and that is the betterment of Cebu City Sports," Dejaño furthered.

Meanwhile, councilor Dondon Hontiveros was designated by Rama as CCSC vice chairman, replacing Lorenzo "Chao" Sy who was appointed as commissioner alongside Dejaño, councilors Jessica Resch and Noel Wenceslao, DepEd's Rhea Mar Angtud, Jessica Honoridez, and Rodulfo Diorico. Amilo Lopez stays as executive director.

Edward Hayco, once the longest serving CCSC chairman for 12 years, will continue to assist the group as chairman Emeritus particularly in their grassroots programs and dancesport.

Vice mayor Raymond Garcia and lawyer Troy Malilong are no longer with the commission.

"The new CCSC is looking forward to helping promote the multitude of sports and events that have come back. In the months to come, we also look forward to the return of classes and the return of training and competition sports among thousands of students. These are exciting times for Cebu sports," Pages said.