Moment to shine for the unsung heroes of Palaro
CEBU, Philippines — The 64th Palarong Pambansa staged in Cebu City two weeks ago has been mired in controversy.
Notwithstanding all the negativity it has stirred, the fact cannot be denied that the Queen City of the South successfully hosted the week-long sports conclave featuring the best grade school student-athletes all over the country.
An event of such magnitude that entails massive funding and vast manpower resources presents a lot of challenges.
But with the collective effort of all stakeholders both from the public and private sectors, the city pulled it off with great success.
And out of it comes the unsung heroes working behind the scenes that are worthy of praise for their hard work and sacrifice.
Among them are the selfless and dedicated medical team, who worked tirelessly for days and spent an enormous amount of time, energy, and commitment in the spirit of volunteerism to ensure that the Palaro is truly memorable for all.
Dr. Rhoel Dejaño, the head of the Palaro Medical Committee, said mounting medical operations for the multi-event gathering was a daunting task as they had to provide medical care to almost 15,000 delegates scattered in 20 billeting quarters, 33 playing venues, and an infirmary at the main stadium.
“The infirmary in itself is a first in Palaro history. It was like a mini hospital, which was divided into four main divisions. It had an Internal Medicine and Pediatric area as most of the athletes are below 18. A musculoskeletal ultrasound area with two MSK machines manned by qualified ultrasonographers. We can get immediate diagnosis of ligament, tendon or muscle tears and other musculoskeletal problems even without the use of an MRI,” wrote Dejaño in a lengthy Facebook post.
“We also had a rehabilitation and physical therapy area where athletes can get treatment for their injuries so that they can continue competing during the week-long tournament. And if necessary athletes can avail of psychological counseling with our standby psychologists for any mental problems they might have. Two main hospitals were also ready to cater to the medical needs of our delegates . All in all, we had more than 600 volunteers coming from the government and private sector ,” he continued.
“All the medical services including laboratory tests, medications accommodations and food provisions were given to the delegates for free. They just needed to present their Palaro IDs in order for them to avail of the services.”
Dejaño, who was honored as “Sportsman of the Year” during the 38th Sportswriters Association of Cebu-San Miguel Beer (SAC-SMB) Cebu Sports Awards last May, shared that it took them a year of careful planning and a lot of meetings to fully equip themselves for such a huge responsibility.
“We could not have done it without the help of a lot of individuals from the Cebu City Government, Department of Education and other volunteer groups. I don’t want to mention them as I am afraid I might miss out somebody . But for sure I’m very thankful to all of you from the bottom of my heart,” said Dejaño.
“On behalf of the Medical Committee of Palarong Pambansa 2024, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your incredible dedication and hard work in making this event a resounding success. Your commitment to ensuring the health and safety of all athletes has been truly commendable. From providing medical assistance on the field to coordinating emergency responses behind the scenes, your efforts have not gone unnoticed.”
Dejaño said he is very proud to have been part of such a professional and compassionate team especially that their expertise and readiness have made a significant difference in the lives of the athletes, ensuring that they could compete at their best.
“Thank you once again for your unwavering support and commitment. Let’s continue to strive for excellence and contribute to the success of future Palarong Pambansa events,” Dejaño said.
Dejaño and his team richly deserve a pat on their backs.
In silence they may have celebrated, but their accomplishments speak loudly for themselves.
It’s time to sing praises for them.
They too have their moment to shine. — (FREEMAN)
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