Choco Mucho Flying Titans’ Dindin Santiago-Manabat during the PVL All-Filipino Conference qualifying round game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Determined to help Choco Mucho reach the promised land, Dindin Santiago-Manabat is soaking in her “dream” first playoffs as a Flying Titan in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Manabat, acquired by Choco Mucho last year before the Reinforced Conference, backstopped Sisi Rondina with 13 points to sweep Chery Tiggo, 25-22, 25-22, 25-23, and book a ticket to the quarterfinals on Saturday at Philsports Arena.
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It will be her first quarterfinals with the Flying Titans after missing the playoffs in the Reinforced tournament and she is determined to make a deep run and prove to be a missing piece for the back-to-back All-Filipino runner-ups.
READ: PVL: Dindin Manabat’s old lethal form helping fuel Choco Mucho
“I’m looking forward to making it to the semifinals, and of course, to reach the finals. This is really what I’ve been dreaming of, and it’s my goal with Choco Mucho,” Manabat told Inquirer Sports after haunting her former team.
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“After [my stints] with Chery Tiggo and Akari, this is it. My goal is to be with them on our most important day—our goal together.”
Choco Mucho Flying Titans’ Dindin Santiago-Manabat during the PVL All-Filipino Conference qualifying round game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
The veteran wing spiker won her first title with Chery Tiggo in the 2021 PVL Bubble in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte. She found a new home with Akari in 2023 then parted ways with franchise as part of a sister team deal with Nxled.
Manabat has been turning back the hands of the clock this year, providing strong support for Rondina as Choco Mucho won seven consecutive games since the preliminary round.
READ; PVL: Choco Mucho blanks Chery Tiggo to secure quarterfinals spot
The 31-year-old spiker found her joy at Choco Mucho as the Flying Titans always find a way to make her smile.
“I’m just happy. That’s it—just happy because they’re fun to be with. There’s no pressure. We have problems, but they’re really just small ones. It’s like my daily routine has changed. You know me, I always frown, but ever since I joined Choco, I’ve been smiling all the time,” Manabat said. “The people around me are always smiling, so now, I’d feel shy if I wasn’t smiling with them.”
Choco Mucho, which finished fifth in the elimination record with an 8-3 record, will face the winner of the PLDT-ZUS Coffee qualifying game in a best-of-three series.
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“I will keep supporting my teammates, and we’ll keep working hard. The game isn’t over yet, so we can’t take it easy. We need to double and triple our effort until we achieve our goal,” she said.
