EIGHT of the 16 members of the Premier Volleyball League team Banko Perlas Spikers have tested positive for COVID-19, Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced..
The team, backstopped by team captain, Nicole Anne Tiamzon, arrived in the city on June 1 for their one-month bubble training at Saint Vincent before going to the PVL bubble afterward.
Magalong told the local media during a presscon in the afternoon of Friday that the eight were among the three new clusterings of COVID-19 surges that also include 98 of 197 Philippine National Police officers on training at the Regional Training Center and 50 business call center agents inside Camp John Hay.
The cops and call center agents have been quarantined and isolated, added Magalong.
Magalong said that lapses and poor implementation of the city’s guidelines were neglected and/or violated, according to an investigation.
The team chose Baguio “because they have all the facilities available for us to prepare properly for the upcoming conference,” Perlas owner, Charo Soriano, was quoted in a news report earlier.
Prior to their arrival, they underwent RT-PCR tests and awaited the result before they started their training.
The Games and Amusement Board inspected the venue prior to the team’s arrival, a requirement set by the body for teams wanting to go bubble training.
Soriano added: “We then had to comply with GAB requirements like the letter of request, team health and safety protocols, and the inspection of our training venue and accommodation. Afterwhich, we coordinated with the Baguio City Sports office as well as the Health Services Office and submitted the requirement on their end.”
The team includes former University of the Philippines standout Katherine Bersola and Jhoana Louisse Maraguinot.
Another team, F2 Logistics, has been eyeing Baguio for its bubble training. City sports coordinator said, however, the team has no standing request for bubble training.
The PVL is expected to have 12 teams and was supposed to be staged at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.
Meanwhile, the national squad that includes superstars Abigail Marano, Dindin Santiago – Manabat, and local Majoy Baron have already arrived in Ilocos Norte for their bubble training.
The team will be joining the men’s national team and the beach volleyball squads in the province where they will officially hold their bubble training. The beach volley team has been training at the Saud Beach in Pugudpud, recently named one of the top 25 beaches.
The national volleyball teams, who will bubble train at the Centennial Arena in the capital town of Laoag, are expected to see action also in the Asian Senior Women’s Championships on August 29 to September 5 in Pampanga for the women and September 12 to 19 in Chiba, Japan for the men.
The national team culled by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation under head coach Arthur Mamon was culled from the different volleyball teams seeing action in the teams and schools.
Aside from Santiago Manabat (Cherry Tiggo Pro Crossovers) and Baron (F2 Logistics Cargo Movers), the other members are: Frances Xinia Molina (Petro Gazz Angels); Tyler-Marie Kalei Mau (Changos de Narajito); Katrina Mae Tolentino (Choco Mucho Flying Titans); Myla Pablo (Petro Gazz); Kim Katrina Dy (F2 Logistics); 6’5” Jaja Santiago (Saitama Ageo Medics); Isabel Beatriz de Leon (Choco Mucho); Maristele Gene Layug (PLDT Home Fibr Hitters); Marivic Velaine Meneses (Petro Gazz); Risa Sato (Creamline Cool Smashers); Jasmine Nabor (F2 Logistics); Julia Melissa Morado (Creamline); Kim Fajardo (F2 Logistics); Rhea Katrina Dimaculangan (PLDT); Taira Ke’Alohilani Robins-Hardy (Cginal HD Spikers); Denise Michelle Lazaro – Revilla (Choco Mucho); Kathleen Faith Arado (Petro Gazz); and former University of Baguio player Mylene Paat (Cherry Tiggo).
College players with the national team are Angel Anne Canino and Thea Allison Gagate (De La Salle University); Faith Jasmine Nisperos (Ateneo de Manila University); Ivy Keith Lacsina, Mhicaela Belen, Kamille Angelica Cal, Jennifer Nierva and Alyssa Jae Solomon (National University); Ejiya Laure and Imee Kim Gabriela Hernandez (University of Santo Tomas); Lorene Grace Toring (Adamson University) and Maria Bernadette Pepito (UST High School). – Pigeon Lobien
