We've all heard of success stories. But there's something so endearing about people who reflect on their struggles with a knowing smile, like they've fully accepted every challenge as part of their book and now find joy in reminiscing about it.
That's exactly the spirit we saw in Cherry Ann "Sisi" Rondina when she appeared on "Kuan On One," the Bisaya talk show hosted by Kuantie Melai Cantiveros. Speaking in her native dialect, Bisaya, Sisi shared her journey from the humble shores of Estaca to the bigger stadiums of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and beyond. Behind her powerful spikes and hard-earned triumphs is a story of an unbreakable spirit, one that makes her an MVP not just in sports but also in life.
Sisi, whose father was a fisherman, grew up in a coastal area in Estaca, Compostela, Cebu. The sea was her playground, and even her name carries a piece of it. 'Sisi' comes from a small type of oyster her family used to catch and eat with rice. That was their usual meal. But on leaner days, they had to make do with just soy sauce, oil, or salt to pair with rice, either bought on 'utang' from the sari-sari store or given to them out of kindness. Sometimes they even had to ask for drinking water from the neighbor.
She vividly remembers one particular day, probably when she was in first grade, when they had to turn spoiled rice into porridge just to have something to eat. That was when she promised herself that she would never let that happen again.
But don’t get her wrong—Sisi doesn’t look back on those times with self-pity. If anything, she recounts them with a surprising mix of amusement and gratitude. She laughs as she recalls watching television through a neighbor’s window until they would turn it off to make her leave.
Even as a kid, Sisi knew how to earn a little. She would take on piles of laundry for just 50 pesos and sometimes work as a house helper for 100 pesos a day. But instead of spending it on herself, she would split her earnings—half would be used to buy rice, while the other half would be divided among her siblings.
Since she was already into sports as a kid, Sisi found a way to turn her skills into a little side hustle by joining volleyball games in their neighborhood. Teams would place small bets, so she had to make sure she's always on the winning side to get extra money for her and her siblings’ school allowance. And win she did, over and over again. But back then, she never imagined that this sport would take her to places she never even dreamed of.
Volleyball wasn’t even her first love. Sisi wanted to pursue track and field when she was a kid, but she never got the chance. Instead, volleyball found her first when it was introduced to her by her OFW mom, who was on a week-long vacation from Brunei at the time.
It’s almost like the universe was working behind the scenes for Sisi. Her cousin, a local volleyball coach, saw her potential right away and started bringing her to training sessions. "Dahil libre 'yun, susulitin ko na. Pinsan ko 'yung nagtuturo. Madalas lang akong mag-training hanggang umabot ako sa punto na nakakapaglaro na ako sa mga division sa iba't ibang probinsya."
With the help of Team Catmon’s mentor, Father Rolando T. Manayon, Sisi made it to the Palarong Pambansa, where she caught the eye of the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) Volleyball coaches. "Ang sabi lang, dahil third year high school pa ako no'n, 'galingan mo sa pag-eensayo para anytime pwede ka nang kunin ng UST,'" she recalled. The UST coaches followed her progress from then on, and after several more Palarong Pambansa seasons, she finally earned a spot with the UST Golden Tigresses in the UAAP. It was a dream come true for Sisi, who idolized players like Maika Ortiz, Rhea Dimaculangan, and Aiza Maizo.
In 2016, Sisi also made the leap into professional volleyball via Premier Volleyball League (PVL) while still playing for the UAAP. The team that recruited her was short on players, and she thought it was a great chance to get more exposure, not fully realizing how life-changing it would be. She didn't even know she'd have to sign a contract or that she would be getting paid to play.
True to being 'madiskarte,' Sisi used her UST varsity allowance to cover her daily expenses, while her salary as a pro player went straight into savings. She used the money to send her two older sisters to school. After both her siblings graduated, the next goal she worked on was to surprise her dad and mom (who had finally come home from Brunei at the time) with a new house in Cebu.
"Hindi alam ni Papa na kumuha ako ng bahay tapos nakaipon na ako para sa down payment. Sabi ko, 'Pa, puntahan n'yo nga 'yung bahay. Isama mo si Ate.' Tapos nagtanong si Papa, 'Anong ginagawa natin dito?' Sabi naman ni Ate, 'Pa, bahay natin 'to.' Sobrang sarap talaga sa pakiramdam," shared Sisi, her heart full as she's finally fulfilling her promise to her parents that she would help their family.
The UAAP and Premier Volleyball League (PVL) MVP remains humble both on and off the court despite how far she's come. You can feel it in the way she speaks. She’s almost shy about talking about her achievements. Sisi, whose life story was portrayed by Kim Chiu in a "Maalaala Mo Kaya" episode in 2019, credits her humility to the lessons she’s got during sports counseling where she's taught to see every situation as just a part of the journey, however good or bad, so it doesn't get overwhelming. It’s the same mindset she applies when dealing with fans, whose support she truly appreciates.
Even after years of playing, she admits that there are days when she feels off, but not enough to shake her mindset and convince her to quit. "Every day is an improvement day. Kung hindi ko man nakuha kahapon 'yung pag-dive sa bola, dapat makuha ko na siya ngayon. Araw-araw, kailangan nagle-level up ako," said Sisi, who used to be a huge JaDine (James Reid and Nadine Lustre) fan.
She trains every day because, as she puts it, volleyball is all about recovery. "Kumbaga, may laro ka ngayon, tapos may laro ka ulit mamaya... Ang kaaway talaga ng player ay cramps," explained Sisi, who also once dreamed of becoming a police officer, or a teacher, especially after completing a Sports Management course and a two-year Teacher Certificate Program. But she admits she might not have the patience for teaching—or maybe, in a way, coaching is just as close to it. For now, she doesn’t have all the answers, but she trusts that fate will guide her to where she’s meant to be—just as it always has.