From small towns to big arenas, the volleyball stars reveal the quiet forces fueling their winning ways
The 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference was a milestone for the PLDT High Speed Hitters, earning their first bronze medal in this edition. While the players acknowledge the crucial role of intense drills and countless gym hours, they primarily credit their success to the unwavering support from home. Behind the team are their dependable mothers, who instilled discipline in them long before they stepped onto the volleyball court.
PLDT High Speed Hitters Honor Their Moms
This Mother’s Day, the team is removing jersey numbers to highlight the personal stories of the women behind their historic success.
Filipino-Canadian outside hitter Savi Davison finds the pressure of professional sports balanced by her mother, who refuses to assess her worth solely through wins.
“She never put pressure on me to achieve accolades,” the PVL On Tour Most Valuable Player says. She adds, her mother’s mantra was simpler: Your best will always be enough. From the logistics of early-morning practices to the emotional weight of cross-country flights, her mom was the silent engine that kept her going, and it paid out well as Davison became one of the team’s top anchors in the PVL.
So, for Davison, this Mother’s Day weekend is all about mirroring that consistency. “My mom already knows how much she means to me – she’s not only my mother, but also my best friend,” she says. “If there’s anything more to say, it’s that I’m incredibly proud to be so much like her. Even with her strong and independent nature, she remains wistful, curious, and always beautiful.”
Professional volleyball can also be a lifestyle of distance. For opposite hitter Jessey de Leon, Mother’s Day 2026 will be celebrated digitally. She is currently abroad, outside the Philippines, and depends on a screen to stay connected.
“I’ll be video calling her,” de Leon explains. Her mother’s support has always been the quiet kind, the type that provides space for growth while keeping a player grounded. Whether it’s a quick check-in via video call or a shared digital meal, the connection remains uninterrupted, turning a physical absence into a meaningful moment through fast, reliable internet by PLDT Home.
“I’m so grateful for her and for everything she’s sacrificed for our family. She’s shown me what it really means to care for her children,” de Leon says, before adding a heartfelt message, “I love you always!”
Team skipper Kath Arado is very familiar with this kind of emotional separation. Although she’s currently in Manila, her heart remains in Iligan City in Northern Mindanao. The Best Libero from the recent conference has a motivation grounded in a maternal sacrifice: her mother once relocated abroad to work as a caregiver, providing for their family.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without her,” Arado says. “I thank her for all the sacrifices, love, and support she’s given me and to my younger siblings.”
This year, the gap is bridged with a video call and a coordinated surprise—a cake and flowers delivered to Iligan, a small gesture to honor a woman who sacrificed so much. For Arado and her family, distance is no obstacle to celebrating, and she demonstrates that, across seas, she is as dependable as her admired mother.
Finally, outside hitter Alleiah Malaluan uses the off-season for physical recovery and emotional regrouping. Her mother, her “number one supporter” since childhood, has been her moral compass, which Malaluan credits for her success. This weekend, she symbolizes her gratitude with a flower delivery to Batangas.
“Mommy, thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” Malaluan says in a special message for her mother. “Know that I am really grateful to call you my mom. I love you!”
Bridging real, reliable connections
While the PVL bronze medal may be the trophy on the shelf, the real victory for the High Speed Hitters is the support system that never wavers. Whether they are celebrating in person or via a high-definition video call, the ever-reliable PLDT Home Fiber connection ensures that, for these athletes, the most important connections at home never time out.
Catch every moment of the PLDT High Speed Hitters’ journey! Follow the team on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok and stay connected to the action.
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Stacie Harris is a local resident and reporter of the Maple Grove area. Stacie reports on medicine and science for the Maple Grove Report.
