JAJA Santiago is no longer being counted upon to see action for the Philippines in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia as she is on her way to acquiring Japanese citizenship.
This was revealed by Philippines women’s national team head coach Jorge Souza de Brito when asked if the reigning V. League Best Blocker will be seeing action for the flag and country in the biennial event in May.
“I don’t think so because she has started the process for [Japanese] citizenship,” de Brito said during the 2023 PVL All Filipino Conference press briefing on Saturday.
“I don’t think she can play for our national team. When she finishes the process there in Japan, she can play for the national team for Japan,” he added.
According to the FIVB rule, the Federation of Origin may be changed when a player has “established residence in the country of her new Federation of Origin for a minimum of two continuous years, the player has obtained the nationality of the country of the new Federation, and the player’s old and new Federation agrees to the change.”
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The 27-year-old middle blocker took her talent to Japan and has been playing for Saitama Aego Medics since 2018.
She also got engaged to Japanese coach Taka Minowa, an assistant coach for Japan’s women’s national team, in 2022.
She last played for the Philippines during the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2022 and placed fourth.
The Chery Tiggo star also led the Crossovers to its maiden PVL Open Conference title in 2021 where she copped the Conference and Finals’ Most Valuable Player.
Despite missing the services of Santiago, de Brito is happy for the national team standout who has been a spark for her Japanese club.
“Bad for us, good for them. Good for her also. I’m always hoping that she can be happy,” he said.
As for the national team training, de Brito said it will be rescheduled as most players and coaches participate in the upcoming 2023 PVL All Filipino Conference slated on February 4. De Brito will be handling the Akari Power Chargers led by Santiago’s sister Dindin Santiago-Manabat.
The tournament is expected to wrap up by the end of March to give way to the national team’s overseas training camp for the Cambodia SEA Games.
