PLDT spikers survive habagat

The PLDT High Speed Hitters were rescued after being stranded for hours inside their training gym along Araneta Avenue in Quezon City due to severe flooding brought on by the Southwest monsoon, also known as habagat, on Monday.

Players and coaching staff of the still undefeated club in Pool A of the ongoing Premier Volleyball League (PVL) On Tour were ferried out of the gym on rubber and rescue boats by Philippine Army and Philippine Coast Guard personnel.

Habagat has been whipping Luzon for days and inundating flood-prone areas, including most parts of Metro Manila.

“Maraming salamat po to our Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Army and our volley friends who assisted in rescuing our High Speed Hitters out of the Araneta Avenue area,” the club posted on its Facebook page as gratitude to the brave men and women of the armed forces risking their lives to rescue those affected by the still ongoing onslaught.

“Alam po namin na mahaba pa ang gabi niyo at marami pa kayong matutulungan. We can only hope and pray na ligtas din po kayong makakauwi sa inyong mga tahanan. Muli, maraming, maraming salamat!”

High Speed Hitters players turned to social media to share their situation inside the training gym and the activities they did to pass time while waiting for the rain and flooding to subside.

The team kept its spirit up by eating, chatting, playing around and even set up a videoke session.

But afternoon turned into night and with the rain still pouring and no signs of flood waters receding, the High Speed Hitters had to be rescued.

PLDT was evacuated by around 9 p.m.

“Saludo to the ones who braved the floods to get us. Ang tunay na mga idol,” veteran middle blocker Mika Reyes penned on her video post of the rescue scene on her Instagram account.

The High Speed Hitters are set to fly this week to Cebu City for their last two games in the preliminary round in an attempt to secure an outright quarterfinals entry.