FOR every draft hopeful carrying the banners of the UAAP and NCAA, there are others arriving in Manila with something else to prove.
University of San Carlos standout Angel Galinato and University of Nueva Caceres middle blocker Kirsty Destajo may not carry the same name recall as some of this year's top prospects, but both provincial standouts are hoping to show that volleyball talent extends far beyond the traditional powerhouses of Metro Manila.
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As the 2026 PVL Rookie Draft approaches, the two are taking leaps of faith that could change their lives and, perhaps, open more doors for players from the provinces.
Galinato, a 24-year-old, 5-foot-7 middle blocker who can also play as an open hitter, built her game in Cebu through competitions such as the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI), V-League, and Shakey's Super League.
While the spotlight often shines brightest on Manila-based stars, the versatile USC product said the people around her convinced her that she belonged on the same stage.
“The people who believed me, they were the one who pushed me to try in this draft," Galinato said.
“I also had belief in myself, with my skills, that maybe, I’m capable of competing in Manila.”
For Galinato, joining the draft initially started as a simple test of her limits.
“The first reason that I joined here, I just said in my mind that it’s a try lang po talaga na sumali lang dito, pero kung mabigyan po ako ng opportunity, why not po," she added.
The ultimate test
Destajo, a 24-year-old middle blocker, honed her skills in the Bicol Universities and Colleges Athletic League (BUCAL), developing far from the spotlight that typically follows the country's premier collegiate leagues.
Now in Manila for the draft, she sees the experience as an opportunity not only to chase a professional dream but also to measure herself against some of the country's best players.
“Gusto ko i-challenge ‘yung sarili ko sa pro team na mag-excel pa po at dalhin ‘yung mga natutunan ko sa province na ginagawa namin sa volleyball," Destajo said.
“Iba po ‘yung training namin sa training nila [dito sa Manila] so nakaka-adapt din po ako ng kung ano ‘yung mga nakikita kong bago sa kanila.”
Like Galinato, Destajo understands that nothing is guaranteed, but if a PVL team decides to take a chance on her, she intends to make full use of a chance rarely given to those who hail where they come from.
“We’ll give our best na lang po sa lahat ng kukunin naming opportunities sa pros. Sa kukuha pong teams sa’min, sana may matutunan din po kami sa kanila," she said.
In a draft class dominated by household names from the UAAP and NCAA, Galinato and Destajo represent another side of Philippine volleyball, those whose names may not command the same attention and those whose resumés may not be decorated with the same headlines.
But both arrive carrying something just as valuable: the belief that talent can come from anywhere, and the hope that one team will provide the safety net for a dream that began far away from Manila's brightest lights.
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