Mayor Lani plays volleyball vs. UAAP-NCAA all-stars

As part of Taguig City’s celebrations of its 426th Foundation Week, a volleyball exhibition game will be held tomorrow, April 28, between a team of city hall employees led by nolessthan Mayor Lani Cayetano and that of Metro Manila’s top university and college volleyball players at the Cayetano Sports Complex in Barangay Bagumbayan.

“I am thrilled to play against probably the country’s top players today. But more than the friendly competition that we envision it to be, we want to inculcate the virtues of unity and camaraderie, as well as the value of team spirit, among our public servants in Taguig,” Mayor Lani, who will play as the frontline open spiker, said.

The local chief executive’s “Pink Team” will be called Team Lani Cayetano (TLC) and will go up against a selection of current and former varsity players of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and National Colleges Athletic Association (NCAA).

Those who have confirmed to play on Sunday afternoon’s exhibition game include Rachel Ann Daquis, Maica Morada, and April Jose of Far Eastern University (FEU); Mary Jane Balce and Rhea Dimaculangan of the University of Sto. Tomas (UST); three-peat UAAP champion De La Salle University libero Melissa Gohing and teammate Stephanie Mercado; Gill Gustilo of Adamson University and Michelle Carolino of the Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

Emmanuel “Bing” Victoria, chief of Taguig City ‘s Youth and Sports Development (YSD), said the exhibition match will be played on a best-of-three series and will be the highlight of the opening of a city-wide volleyball competition.

FILIPINO VERSION:

Bilang bahagi ng pagdiriwang ng ika-426 na Foundation Week ng Taguig, isang volleyball exhibition match sa pagitan ng koponan ng city hall sa pangunguna ni Mayor Lani Cayetano at mga sikat na volleyball player mula sa UAAP at NCAA sa Linggo, April 28 sa Cayetano Sports Complex sa Barangay Bagumbayan.

“Excited na akong makaharap ang marahil ay ang pinakamahuhusay na manlalaro ng bansa. Pero higit sa friendly competition, ang nais namin ay maitanim sa lahat ang kahalagahan ng pagkakaisa, pakikisama at team spirit sa hanay ng mga public servant ng Taguig,” pahayag ni Mayor Lani na ang posisyong lalaruin ay frontline spiker.

Tatawaging Team Lani Cayetano (TLC) ang Pink Team ni Mayor Lani na sasagupa sa mga piling varsity at dating varsity player ng University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) at National Colleges Athletic Association (NCAA).

Ang mga kumpirmadong maglalaro sa exhibition game sa Linggo ay sina Rachel Ann Daquis, Maica Morada at April Jose ng Far Eastern University (FEU); Mary Jane Balce at Rhea Dimaculangan ng University of Santo Tomas (UST); ang libero ng tatlong sunod-sunod  na kampeon ng UAAP na De La Salle University na si Melissa Gohing; Stephanie Mercado; Gill Gustilo ng Adamson University at Michelle Carolino ng Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

Ang exhibition match na lalaruin sa tatlong set ang magiging pinakatampok na aktibidad sa pagsisimula ng city-wide volleyball competition na bahagi pa rin ng 426th Foundation Week ng Taguig.