Rondina, Pons team up again in Boracay

Sisi Rondina will put her UAAP Finals loss behind when she plays for one of the Philippine teams competing in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Boracay Open 2019 on May 23 to 26.

Rondina, who was Season 81’s Most Valuable Player but failed to steer University of Santo Tomas past Ateneo in the indoor volleyball best-of-three finals, will team up with Bernadeth Pons.

The other four women’s pairs are DJ Rodriguez-Bea Tan, Genesa Eslapor-Blove Barbon, DM Demontano-Jackie Estiquia and Fiola Ceballos-Patty Orendain.

The three Team PH men’s teams are Jade Becaldo-Mike Abria, Ranran Abdilla-Jesse Lopez and James Buytrago-Anthony Arbasto.

Rondina and Borbon teamed up in UST’s third straight UAAP beach volleyball title while Arbasto and Jaron Requinton led UST to the men’s crown.

Rondina was also beach volleyball MVP while Borbon and Requinton took top rookie honors.

A total of 28 teams in the men’s side and 20 women’s pairs from 48 countries will vie for points that can qualify them to the World Tour Finals.

“The event is also a fitting tuneup for the coming Southeast Asian Games,” said Beach Volleyball Republic co-founder and former Ateneo standout Charo Soriano during Sunday’s event launch at the Alphaland Makati City Club.

Last year, BVR staged nine tournaments nationwide that culminated in its first hosting of a World Tour qualifier.

“We’re looking at this as a long-term project,” said Tan, also a BVR cofounder and an Atenean like Soriano. “It’s an opportunity for the international community to notice the Philippines’ potential.” —ROMINA S. AUSTRIA