MANILA, Philippines – Jaja Santiago finds her biggest supporter in older sister Dindin Santiago-Manabat as the Choco Mucho Flying Titan expressed excitement for the former’s change in citizenship as she officially got her Japanese passport.
Now known as Sachi Minowa, Santiago made the development public on Saturday as she pursued her dream of making it into the Olympics with the Hinotori Nippon.
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Even as the recent Summer Games had just wrapped up in Paris, Santiago-Manabat said that she was hopeful for her little sister’s chances for Los Angeles 2028, even as she knows that her sister is advancing in years.
“May chance siguro yung susunod [na Olympics] after four years if kaya pa ng katawan niya kasi by that time is 32 years old na siya,” Santiago-Manabat said after Choco Mucho’s loss against Creamline on Saturday night.
“Pero healthy naman si Jaja so alam ko kaya niya kasi sa edad ko kinakaya ko pa, siya pa kaya na mas healthy pa sa akin,” she added.
Santiago-Manabat revealed that the JT Marvelous spiker had received the news as early as July before the Paris Games had kicked off.
Even if it meant that she would be away from Santiago-Manabat and the rest of their family, the older Santiago had nothing but good words for her little sister in pursuit of her aspirations to play for the Japan national team.
“Actually matagal na niya sa amin sinabi yun bago pa lang mag-Olympics… Lumabas na yung passport niya and dineclare na sa amin na Japanese citizen na siya,” narrated Santiago-Manabat.
“Sobrang happy ko kasi yun naman talaga yung hinihintay ni Jaja 'di man siya nakapasok sa Olympics para irepresent yung Japan, happy naman siya na isa sa mga pangarap nya is natupad.”
Apart from being eligible to play for the national team, Santiago can also now play in the Japan V. League as a local with her team.
Santiago, a product of National University, began her quest to obtain Japanese citizenship in early 2023. During that time, she was playing for her long-time Japanese V. League team Ageo Medics.