IT’S a triple celebration for Jaja Santiago as she was hailed as Finals MVP after delivering Chery Tiggo’s first title in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Open Conference.
Santiago delivered 26 points as the Crossovers erased a two-set deficit to dethrone Creamline Cool Smashers in five sets in the winner-take-all Game 3 on Friday.
The 6-foot-5 middle blocker fueled Chery Tiggo’s series comeback to dethrone Creamline with a come-from-behind five set victory in Game 3 on Friday at the PCV Socio-Civic and Cultural Center.
When it rains, it pours for Jaja
Santiago, who was also named as Conference MVP and Best Middle Blocker, averaged with 25.3 points per game in the Finals.

She lived up to her promise that if she can win a title in Japan, why not for Chery Tiggo in the first professional league in the country.
“Grabe kumbaga sabi ko nga dugo’t pawis talaga ‘tong championship, sacrifices talaga na hindi natin alam kasi galing tayong one year na walang volleyball,” Santiago said. “‘akakaproud parang unbelievable talaga binuhos namin lahat, nagsacrifice kami yun yung pinakameaning ng championship na ‘to.”
After a successful PVL bubble, Santiago will fly to Japan in September for her fourth season in Japan V. League as import of Ageo Medics.
She’s also willing to play for the Philippine women’s volleyball team in the 2021 AVC Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship, which is tentatively set from August 29-September 5 in San Fernando, Pampanga.
However, the national pool member said the tournament might be moved to a later date due to the rise of Covid-19 cases in the country.
“Next ko actually national team but narinig ko kasi na na-move yung national team so hindi ko pa alam after nito kakausapin ko pa si sir Tats (Suzara),” she said.
For now, she wants to celebrate the championship with her family after a grueling Ilocos Norte bubble.
“Siyempre uwi muna ako ng bahay namin kasi pagkadating na pagkadating ko after japan deretso na training and then andito na ko sa Ilocos,” Santiago said. “Wala pa kong time for my family gusto ko magspend time with them and magcelebrate ng championship.”
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