PVL: Jaja Santiago excited for Alyssa Valdez reunion at Creamline

FILE–Jaja Santiago (left) and Alyssa Valdez —PVL

VICTORIAS CITY — Jaja Santiago is reunited with fellow Philippine women’s volleyball team star Alyssa Valdez, as arguably the best overseas-based homegrown women’s volleyball player in the country joins the most successful club in Creamline for the PVL Invitationals starting Aug. 31.

The last time Santiago and Valdez played together was in the 2022 Southeast Asian Games before Santiago gained her Japanese citizenship after years of playing in the prestigious SV.League.

READ: PVL: Jaja Santiago cleared as local for Creamline stint

Before playing for San Francisco Signal in League One Volleyball in the US, Santiago opted to make a PVL comeback and join Creamline, a team she beat in the 2021 PVL Open Conference Finals to deliver Chery Tiggo the league’s maiden professional crown.

The 6-foot-5 middle blocker teams up with Valdez anew after representing the national team together from the under-23 level until they reached the seniors.

WATCH: Jaja Santiago talks about her PVL comeback with Creamline. #PVLOnTour #PVL2026 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/Y9GOQkFZCb

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Santiago and Valdez also dominated the club scene with PLDT, winning two titles in the Shakey’s V-League—the PVL’s predecessor–in the 2015 season.

“I’m very excited because I think the last time we teamed up was with  PLDT. Now we’re together again. Even though we’re getting older and gaining more experience, I’m still learning a lot from Ate Ly, and I’m really excited to play with her again,” said Santiago in Filipino.

Santiago also looks forward to sharing the court and learning from the Creamline veterans led by Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, Pangs Panaga, Michele Gumabao, Kyle Negrito, Kyla Atienza, Bea De Leon, and Denden Lazaro-Revilla, as well as the young guns Ishie Lalongisip, Sheena Toring, Erin Pangilinan, Barbie Jamili, and Nica Celis.

READ: Jaja Santiago makes Creamline even more formidable

“There are so many new players. Some of them are my former teammates, while others I haven’t played with yet because they just graduated. I’m really excited to play against all the teams in the Invitational. Even during the On Tour, I know there’s still a lot I can learn from them,” said Santiago.

The former SV.League Best Blocker also wants to share her international experience with the younger middle blockers of Creamline.

“I’m not a perfect middle blocker, but if I can share the experience I’ve gained from playing internationally, I’m happy to do that little by little. Whenever they ask me questions, I try to share whatever knowledge I have about volleyball, even the small things,” she said.

The 2021 PVL Conference and Finals MVP might see action in Creamline’s last On Tour game against Galeries Tower.

Her official comeback is in the Invitationals, where she faces defending champion PLDT, Nxled and Farm Fresh, as well as guest teams EST Cola of Thailand and Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam.