Despite obtaining Japanese citizenship, Jaja Santiago will still be treated as a local player when she competes in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).
PVL president Ricky Palou told DAILY TRIBUNE that Santiago remains welcome to see action as a local player provided that she will choose to have dual citizenship.
He said should the 6-foot-5 winger decide to play in the PVL, all she has to do is to present her Philippine passport and secure an international transfer certificate (ITC) from the Japan Volleyball Association.
“She’s still a local player if she chooses to have dual citizenship,” Palou said in a Viber message on Sunday morning, referring to Santiago who last played in the PVL during the bubble tourney in 2021.
“But she must present her Philippine passport and secure an ITC before she can be allowed to play as a local.”
In a social media post, Santiago announced that she is now a naturalized Japanese, joining golfer Yuka Saso of Japan, chess wizard Wesley So of the United States, and fencer Maxine Esteban of Ivory Coast as among the Filipino athletes who have transferred to other countries.
The 28-year-old Santiago said changing nationality wasn’t easy but she did it for her family and her dream of someday playing for the Japan national squad in the Summer Olympics with the support of her husband, Japanese coach Taka Minowa.
“Changing one’s nationality is not an easy decision,” Santiago said in a lengthy post.
“However, this is for my dream, because we are not getting any younger, and we don’t know how long we’ll be in this field. The only thing I know is that I will do everything for my family, my dream, and for the people who support me and believe in the talent that God has given me.”
Santiago’s older sister, Dindin Manabat, said she knew of this major development even before the opening of the Paris Olympics last month.
“Actually, she already told us about this development even before the Paris Olympics. Her passport was already released and she already declared that she was already a Japanese citizen,” Manabat said in an interview.
“That’s why we were so happy because this is something that Jaja has been waiting for. Even if she doesn’t make it to the Olympics to represent Japan, we’re still happy because her dream was already realized.”