Sports are back!

CEBU, Philippines —  Following the declaration of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama of freedom to the Cebuanos by easing restrictions further in the city, the Emergency Operations Center and the Cebu City Sports Commission have jointly  announced that after two years, sporting events will be rolling back again in this side of the country.

“Sports are back!,” said the newly-appointed CCSC chairman John Pages in a virtual press conference yesterday along with EOC deputy chief implementer Joel Garganera and vice mayor Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros. “Everybody is very excited and wanting to go back into sports and this is the right time.”

Under Executive Order 163 signed by Rama during the city’s 85th Charter Anniversary last Thursday, February 24, “all establishments, persons, and activities are now permitted to operate, work, or be undertaken regardless of age and vaccination status of persons, provided that minimum public health standards will be observed at all times.”

Pages said they will be laying down specific guidelines for each sport a week or two from now before allowing organizers to go full blast with their events.

“We will be coming up with a set of rules and guidelines for all to follow in the next few weeks, “ Pages said. “We want to ensure the safety of both the participants and the spectators.”

“We will also be requesting the organizers to register their respective events to the CCSC and the EOC. This will be online. We will not make this difficult for everyone. We will make it as efficient as possible,” Pages continued.

To achieve such surpose, Gargarnera assured that the EOC and the CSCC will work as one.

“Padung na gyud ta ani sa duwa,” said Gargarena. “Niubos na sad ang atong positivity rate, the more reason nga ablihan na gyud nato ang sports.”

Hontiveros said all the things that are being discussed in the presscon is the kind of direction that the city wants to take in reopening sports for both the public and private sector.

Hontiveros made it clear though that regardless of organization, be it school-based or commercial leagues, the organizers must coordinate with the CCSC and EOC to ensure that they meet the basic protocols.

Councilor Garganera thinks the same.

“Ang ato lang ani unsaon pagpahigayon ang mga tournaments nga luwas,” said Garganera. “Naa pa gihapon ta sa pandemic and our primordial concern is the safety not only of the players but also the audience. I hope we will strictly implement what’s in our guidelines. This will be our bible.” - Caecent No-ot Magsumbol