DAYS from now, Bella Belen will begin the next chapter of her already-decorated career as the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2025 PVL Rookie Draft.
As such a distinction is bestowed upon her on draft night, the three-time UAAP MVP would be in Hanoi, Vietnam as she flies the flag with the rest of Alas Pilipinas Women at the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup.
READ: Now-thrice MVP Bella Belen almost quit volleyball. Here's why
But the rest of this story, however, isn’t just about Bella.
Somewhere a few stages below where Bella’s soon to be at in the pros is her younger sister Ghenievib, known to her peers and family as Bubay.
Like Bella, Bubay is taking the first steps of her volleyball career at National University-Nazareth School (NUNS), where she also had her first stint as a national team player.
The young libero isn’t about to let herself be an afterthought of her ate Bella’s groundbreaking success with National U.
“Gusto ko pong i-introduce yung sarili ko na hindi po porket kapatid ko po si Bella Belen, kagaya na niya ko,” the 5-foot-3 Belen said.
“Iba po 'ko sa kaniya. Magkaiba po kaming tao. So kung kaya niya po, alam ko po sa sarili ko na kaya ko rin po.”
Such fighting spirit is fueled by her ate Bella’s words of wisdom throughout her young career so far — one grounded on aspiring to be the best version of herself always to.
“Ang lagi niya lang po talagang sinasabi sa akin is ibigay ko po yung best ko,” Bubay said.
“Mas okay po kung ibibigay ko lang po palagi yung best po kasi wala nga pong mangyayari if hindi ko po ibibigay yung best ko. Kaya lagi ko lang daw pong sipagan every training and every game po.”
A winning trail of her own
Belen, 15, is part of the Lady Bullpups team looking to win the school its first Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) crown on Saturday against their Palarong Pambansa rival Bacolod Tay Tung High School.
While Bubay might not have had as much of an opportunity to take the court on a regular basis like Bella as an outside hitter, she’s nonetheless just as eager to play part in any capacity in NUNS’ pursuit of a maiden SGVIL title.
“Malaking opportunity po ito para sa akin kasi po halos sa ibang league po hindi po ako nala-line up. Opportunity na rin po ito para po mapakita po sa kanila na kaya ko rin pong makipag-compete sa ibang teams po katulad po na mga ginagawa nila.
“Sobrang gusto po namin na makapasok ulit ng finals kaya lahat po ng pagkukulang namin na kailangan po namin i-improve is pinagsisipagan na po namin sa training.
“Sa training pa lang po, makikita na po kung gaano po kami ka-eager po na makipag-compete po ulit sa other teams. Kagaya po ng nangyari last year, iba po yung nag-champion. Ngayon po, gusto po namin na maipakita ulit na kaya rin po namin mag-champion.”
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