DETDET Pepito may be headed to the PVL soon, but don't expect her to leave behind the quirky, funny and outspoken personality that made her one of the most beloved players in the UAAP.
The former University of Santo Tomas libero-captain said there will be plenty of adjustments once she turns pro through the 2026 PVL Rookie Draft, but changing the lighthearted persona that has defined her collegiate career is not one of them.
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Instead, Pepito believes that side of her is exactly what allows her to become the leader she has always been - and the leader she needs to become in the PVL.
“Same lang naman po, basta hindi tatalakan ng mga ates. Ganun ko po kasi napapakita ‘yung leadership ko. Magaan po ‘yung galaw ko kapag nagiging ako, ako, ‘yung sarili ko na makulit. Du’n ako mas nagiging vocal," Pepito said.
For the 23-year-old, being playful and naturally humorous has never been separate from being a proper on-court leader.
It is through those moments that she becomes most comfortable communicating with teammates and asserting herself on the court, a trait she hopes to bring even as a rookie to whichever PVL team drafts her.
Detdet's biggest shakeup
With several top prospects withdrawing from this year's draft, Pepito has emerged as a potential top pick or, at worst, one of the earliest selections in the first round.
The biggest changes, she admitted, will likely happen off the court.
After spending more than a decade training under UST's evening schedule, Pepito expects to trade late-night sessions for the morning workouts commonly observed by PVL clubs.
“Sobrang hirap. Du’n pa lang po sa oras ng training kasi, ‘di ba, parang most of the PVL teams, morning [‘yung training]. ‘Yung tulog ko po, madaling araw kasi nga sa UST, gabi kami natatapos. Du’n pa lang, talagang malaking adjustment na," she said.
“Mahirap pero exciting kasi for almost 11 years nga po, nasanay na akong gabi training, tapos ngayon, morning na, so sana magiging productive ako kapag nag-training ako nang maaga at mas marami akong magagawa sa hapon.”
Wherever she lands, Pepito knows exactly what she wants to bring to the table off the bat.
“‘Yung unang-una po, ‘yung leadership po, of course, and ‘yung palagi ko talagang binibigay yung 101 percent ko po during training pa lang," Pepito said.
The routines may change, but if Pepito has her way, the same energetic, outspoken and endlessly entertaining personality that became a fixture in the UAAP will be making the jump to the PVL, too.
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