Atlas turned Falcon: Is the future bright for
JPIA-AdU’s MVT? the backseat when his father disagreed to
Written by: Noah T. Lumbo
The JPIA-AdU MVT may have ended their rally in
the recent 16th NCR JPIALympics Mataya Taya
last January 13, 2019 in Marikina Sports Center
with a 2-1 record, but surely they did not
disappoint their winning contender by giving
them a good match. One thing to note on that
match was the game changing performance of a
rookie from Laguna.
Amidst the defeat the team had during their
match against the Pamatasan ng Lungsod ng
Pasig – was a sight to reckon with in the coming
days for the JPIA-AdU MVT.
Joseph Leonard F. Gadiana commonly called as
“Piolo”, was born on the 5th of September in the
year 1999, in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental. Piolo
started to play for a team during his 8th grade in
the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta –
Laguna. It may look like that everything worked
for him as early as 14 years old, but the journey
he took was definitely a shaky one.
His pathway towards the discovery of the sport
started in the very streets of his neighborhood.
He was a keen observant in every game he
watches—learning the player’s movement in the
court. Little did he know this sport would actually
change his life. According to Piolo, it was his
Araling Panlipunan teacher in 5th grade who first
saw his potential for the sport. He was
immediately referred to the school coach who
administer try outs. His talent and skill caught
the attention of University of Perpetual Help
System Dalta – Laguna Campus. A scholarship
grant was offered to him in exchange of the
campus varsity program, but his family had to
turn down this compelling opportunity due to
security reasons. What he thought was a
possible trampoline to his career was placed in
transfer him to a different school. Despite this,
Piolo remained optimistic.
“Nung di ako pinayagan ni Papa mag laro para sa
Perpetual kasi 5 minutes walk lang yung dati
kong school sa bahay, nalungkot at nang
hinayang ako. Baka kasi yung mga friends ko nag
lalaro o nagrerepresent na ng team nila sa mga
nang recruit na school sakanila. Pero nakinig na
lang ako kay Papa kasi alam ko 1namang ginawa
niya yun for me,” Piolo said. His patience and
understanding bore fruit a year after when his
father finally allowed him to play for the Atlas.
Balancing figure
Being a student athlete was difficult according to
the 19 year old libero. But it taught him vital
learnings to grow better as a person. Attached to
being a student athlete is the responsibility to
maintain his academic standing. “Pag atleta ka
kasi dalawa lang naman ang pwede mangyari.
Pag di ka nag-aral di ka makakalaro or pag puro
bagsak ka mawawalan ka ng scholarship.
Kelangan i-manage talaga yung time, pagkatapos
ng training uuwi agad and gawin agad lahat ng
homework or mag-advance reading”. With this
in mind, it shaped him to become more
disciplined in training and in academics.
Soar to the future
His plans for the coming federation is to recruit
more and not settle for less due to reason of the
capacity of a player. “If may gusto mag try out
isali lang para in the long run pag may review na
yung mga seniors at busy na sila para sa boards,
merong players na nai-mold para sumabak sa
laro”. Some of the qualities he often look for the
possible players includes commitment,
eagerness, and willingness: Commitment to the
sport, Eagerness to win, and Willingness to learn.
The Season 16th NCAA-South Best Libero shared Photos
the attributes he think a team captain should
possess. “Being a captain is a big responsibility.
Based on my experience as Co-Captain mahirap
na what if Captain pa mismo (pertaining to the
possibility of not being a good role model to his
team),” his sentiment on being a team leader.
For him, a team captain should continuously
motivate his team. An encouraging leader is the
key for a volleyball team. After all, volleyball is a
team sport. A team captain would not win a
match without its five (5) other team mates.
(Planned Main photo for the feature ^)
On his final words, he gave the JPIA-AdU
community a message to look forward to.
“Syempre sila kuya Dave and kuya Francis
magsta-stand out for the team next year pero
siguro one thing to expect next year, we will
bounce back and come out strong. Gagalingan pa
namin para ma-achieve yung end game ng team,
which is a Championship sa kahit anong league.
Expect a fiercer, stronger and more competitive
men’s MVT. One mantra that I keep on
reminding myself is that ‘Don’t stop when you’re
tired, stop when you’re done’”.

Will he shed a light of hope for the team on the

upcoming games?
 Falcons brought home Some Bacon/s!
Amazing Race
The Falcons barged into the winning column by
being the 2nd runner up in the recently concluded
Amazing Race in the 16th NCR JPIALympics:
Mataya Taya Commemorating Traditions
Sustaining Innovations last January 13, 2019 at
the Oval in the Marikina Sports Center.
Perseverance and teamwork, reiterated
repeatedly by the team. It was this characteristic
that pushed the team to claim the 1st win of
Adamson University in the league. But before
they had the taste of victory, they sure faced
several difficult and challenging stations such as
Face your Cards, Itumba mo, Lata ko, Dugtong
Dugtong para Makamove on, and Let’s Shoot our
Jolens station to name a few.
What gave the team extreme difficulty was the
Itumba mo, Lata ko station. The game’s objective
was very simple: to hit at least one tin can.
However, this wasn’t the case to JPIA-AdU, the
team became lax on the idea of hitting one tin
can in which they suffered the consequences. It
took the team a lot of time for them to finish the
game plus the weather was not on their side. The
wind changed the trajectory of the ball causing
the ball to miss. “Kaya naman halos lahat ng
stations, eto lang talagang lata yung mahirap na
station kasi ang layo tapos hinahangin pa yung
bola” answered by Dave Hermosado when asked
about the struggles they encountered during the
race. The ball didn’t play favor among teams with
its texture being in plastic makes every team to
undergo the same difficulty. With rigorous trial,
the team managed to find the perfect strength
and timing in hitting the can that brought
outburst of happiness and pride among the
team.
During the course of the competition, the team
admitted that pressure gets them whenever
they see other local chapters who went ahead of
them. With sheer focus, determination and
teamwork combined, the team ended their race
at a podium finish bringing the bronze medal to
the organization.
The team beat the odds of all the peculiarity of
the different stations. Despite the scorching heat
that drained the team physically and mentally,
they still manage to show the might of a soaring
falcon in the oval.
(Juan Angelo Amada, Jeryco Briones, Kenneth
Cidro, Dave Hermosado, Jude Benedict Juanane,
Moshedyan Rovic Maquinto, Jeren Miralles
Rolan Palquiran)
Patintero
A team of five, marked as midgets of the
competition, exemplified an outstanding
performance by bringing home the
championship for Patintero in the recently held
16th NCR JPIALympics in Marikina Sports Center
last January 13, 2019.
Hazel Salvador, leader of the team, explained
that their strategy on the game made the
difference for the team. “Basta ang napag-
usapan namin pag papasok na kami sa first line
kelangan sumigaw or gulantangin/gulatin yung
bantay sa 2nd line para makuha mo yung
attention niya and makapasok yung other
teammate mo since nagulat siya and nakafocus
lang siya sayo”. Surprisingly, this routine
provided the team continuous win. This routine
paved the way for the team to continue their
winning streak and thereafter reach the
championship match against the competitive
NCBA (National College for Business and the
Arts)
“Ang hirap kalabanin ng NCBA kasi ang hahaba
ng mga galamay nila kaya nakaka-intimidate
talaga, pero ayun teamwork and tiwala lang
talaga sa team na makakaya namin” when asked
about the struggles they encountered during
their match.

Despite the difficulties the team had, they made

sure that their opponent had received their
message. As cliché as it goes, “They are small but
terrible”. This might be a minor game per se, but
a win is win and they’ll take it.

(Dianne Tricia Esperanza, Ma. Hazel Vera Flaga,

Mariella Muñoz, Hazel Salvador, Justine Linneth
Ruiz)