The PVF-Tanduay Athletics Under 18 Boys and Girls Volleyball Championships proved to be another resounding success with the University of the Cordilleras of Baguio City and Balanga Volleyball Club of Bataan emerging champions over the weekend at the newly named Tanduay Athletics Volleyball Center (formerly known as Cantada Center) in Taguig City.
The Cordilleras spikers downed La Salle Antipolo to bag the girls' division title, while Bataan stamped its class over Muntinlupa Volleyball Club in the boys' class finals of the one-day tournament that is part of the grassroots' development program of the Philippine Volleyball Federation, under PVF president Edgardo ‘Tito Boy’ Cantada and PVF chairman Mikey Arroyo, with the support of Tanduay Athletics and sportsman Lucio ‘Bong’ Tan, Jr.
The more than two hundred participants and officials enjoyed the first-class facilities of the center under excellent weather conditions. Some of the participants came all the way from Lucban and Infanta, Quezon; Baguio Cty; Balanga, Bataan; San Jose del Monte, Bulacan; Santa Rosa, Laguna; Dasmaiiñas, Bacoor, GMA, Cavite; Muntinlupa, Antipolo; Mandaluyong; Parañaque and Pasig.
PVF officials came from Pangasinan, Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Bataan and Taguig.
PVF provides equal opportunities to all.
The participants and officials feasted all day on the complimentary sumptuous food prepared for them, starting with breakfast and went all the way to late afternoon snacks to prepare them for the long journey home.
"It certainly gives me and my family an immense sense of fulfilment. At the end of the day, we go home very tired but yet, ready, once more, for the next one,” said Cantada.
“This is volleyball grassroots development at its very best. Sports authorities and others like DepEd continue to ignore what we do. I give balls and nets to the marginalized school children in DepEd schools and to DepEd who could not provide these. If the sports authorities continue to ignore us for "political" and other reasons, I will also ignore them and just continue the advocacy I have long started with the PVF and in my lifetime,” added Cantada.
