Kath Arado’s return to Lanao del Norte became even more meaningful as she helped PLDT close its 2026 PVL On Tour campaign with a victory over Akari on Saturday at the Mindanao Civic Center.
The Iligan City native was welcomed by family and supporters as the Premier Volleyball League made its way to Mindanao, giving Arado a chance to reconnect with the place where her volleyball journey began.
“Ang saya. Noong nanood nga ako ng videos, naalala ko ulit ’yung araw na naglalaro ako dito. Parang na-reminisce ko lahat and the same time, sobrang proud kasi first time ito,” said Arado.
The six-time PVL Best Libero also appreciated the league’s decision to bring its preseason tournament to different parts of the country, allowing provincial fans to watch their favorite players without having to travel to Manila.
“Very happy talaga ’yung heart ko kasi ang ganda din nung ganitong PVL, ’yung On Tour na every province talaga mapupuntahan namin. Lalo na ’yung iba na hindi kaya pumunta ng Manila or hindi talaga nila kaya panoorin ’yung idols nila. Ito na rin ’yung give back sa mga fans na laging sumusuporta sa amin.”
Arado’s homecoming came as PLDT defeated Akari, 25-14, 26-24, 21-25, 25-20, to finish the On Tour with a perfect 2-0 record.
She also delivered a strong performance in front of her hometown crowd, anchoring the High Speed Hitters’ floor defense with 19 excellent digs on 32 attempts and seven excellent receptions.
For Arado, however, the significance of the trip went beyond her own performance. Having started her volleyball journey in Lanao del Norte, she hopes the league’s visit will encourage more young athletes in the province to pursue their own sporting dreams.
“Oo, kahit dati pa, ano talaga sila sa volleyball… Actually, lahat ng sports very supportive. Since ilang taon na akong naglalaro — high school days ko pa lang, very supportive na si Lanao sa ganitong events. Tama naman sila pag nakita niyo Lanao, babalik at babalikan niyo talaga,” said Arado.
Her family made the trip from Iligan City to Tubod to watch her play live, marking only the second time they had seen her compete in Mindanao. They had previously watched her during a 2023 PVL All-Filipino Conference match in Cagayan de Oro.
Among those Arado was happiest to have in the stands was her grandfather, who had not watched her play live since her days with the University of the East in the UAAP.
“Sobrang happy ako lalo na sa lolo ko kasi mapapanood niya ako ulit kasi last time napanood ako UAAP days pa, UE days ko pa. So, very happy kasi iba ’yung kumpiyansa mo kapag kapamilyang nanonood, lalo na pag ’di lagi. Dagdag inspiration tsaka dagdag motivation for me.”
Arado’s homecoming ultimately delivered the result she hoped for, but more importantly, it gave her a chance to share a professional volleyball experience with the community that helped shape her journey.
