TOKYO — Jaja Santiago and Dindin Santiago-Manabat believe that both the Philippine men’s and women’s volleyball teams could earn medals in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
The Santiago sisters, who are currently showcasing their talents in Japan V. Premier League, took time on Tuesday to visit the men’s national team in its morning workout at the Fukagawa Gym, before its tune-up match against FC Tokyo.
Jaja, who is the import of Ageo Medics for the second straight season, said that this 16-day training camp, made possible by Larong Volleyball Sa Pilipinas Inc. and Philippine Sports Commission, will turn the Filipino spikers into a championship-caliber team in the SEA Games.
“Siyempre sobrang laki (bagay nito) kahit naman sa women’s. Five days na nagstart pa lang sila ang laki na ng inimprove nila. Ang ganda ng mga dikitan ng mga sets sa kalaban,” the 6-foot-5 middle blocker said. ”Sa men’s team tingin ko kahit di sila magtraining dito sa Japan feeling ko makakakuha tayo ng medal kasi sila, for me, consistent sila. Ang ganda nung sistema nila.”
The former UAAP MVP added that the Rebisco-backed team is slowly adapting the quickness, net and floor defense of the Japanese: “Ang laking posibilidad natin na hindi lang bronze, ang laki ng chance ng team natin kahit women’s.”
Dindin said that the advanced volleyball system of the Japanese will be an advantage against the Southeast Asian opponents.
“Lalo na kung maadapt ng coaches kasi mas marami silang matututunan, nagkakaroon sila ng sistema naaadapt nila. Mas malaking tulong para sa kanila yun,” the Kurobe Aqua Fairies import said. “Iba rin yung sistema ng Japan. Nagiging advance din tayong players and anga mga coaches.”
The women’s volleyball squad, on the other hand, recently suffered another heartbreak after Filipino-American Kalei Mau was suddenly ruled ineligible from the biennial meet.
But the Santiago Sisters, who also won’t be seeing action in this year’s SEA Games, are still optimistic that the Filipina Spikers will barge in the podium.
“Sa akin kasi it’s not individual, kahit naman siguro mawala yung isa — oo iba yung laro pag meron kang dati nang naglalaro jan — pero iba pa rin pag naglalaro kayo ng walang hinahanap na kayo na lang,” Jaja said. “I mean kumbaga papatibayin nyo kung anong meron kayo papalakasin niyo, maniniwala kayo sa isa’t isa and maglalaro kayo as a team. Malaking chance pa rin na magmedal tayo tinalo na rin naman natin.”
The middle blocker said the team has proven it in the ASEAN Grand Prix Second Leg where they played without Mau but still finished bronze.
“Sabihin nating wala kami pare parehas lang naman kaming volleyball ang nilalaro diba. Kumbaga pano mo ihahandle yung pressure and yung team work sa loob ng court,” she said.
While the Santiago sisters are away when the country’s hosting of SEA Games fires off, they promised to show their all-out support and pray for the best result for the Philippines.
“Siyempre nandito lang naman kami ni Jaja para suportahan sila and alam namin na kayang kaya naman nila yun kasi siyempre pinaghirapan nila yun. Yung struggles na yun doon sila papatibayin,” said Dindin. “Good luck sa SEA Games. Support kami one hundred percent kasi pusong Pinoy.”
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