The TNT Tropang 5G and the PLDT High Speed Hitters celebrated their successful runs on the hardcourt and the taraflex with thousands of supporters in the recent ‘Champions Together’ event at One Ayala.
The joint grand fans day gig gave PBA Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup kingpin TNT and PVL On Tour and Invitational Conference queen PLDT a special venue to give back to their fans in a special celebration of loyalty, resilience and shared victories.
‘Para sa TNT, pumunta talaga ako dito. Kahit umuulan, kahit malayo. Yung puso, nandito,’ said Hendrix Manaoat from Valenzuela, one of the Tropang 5G diehards from across Metro Manila and nearby provinces who trooped to the venue to meet their idols.
‘Dream ko talaga makita sila,’ shared Robin Delgaco from Caloocan, a ka-Tropa since 2011. ‘Kahit SIM card ko, TNT pa rin.’
The champions enjoyed the interactions in the event, which featured interactive booths, games, and exclusive merchandise, as much as the fans did.
‘Sobrang excited kami makita ‘yung fans kasi sila talaga ang nagbibigay buhay sa amin bilang players,’ said TNT’s Kim Aurin, considering the event as a ‘reminder of the team’s purpose.’ ‘Maraming salamat sa malupitang suporta ninyo. Gagawin namin ang best namin sa 50th season ng PBA.’
PLDT’s Kim Kianna Dy was thankful to the fans for inspiring her comeback from injury.
‘It was a long wait, and I’m super grateful the fans kept cheering even when I wasn’t playing. They’re one of the reasons I kept going,’ said Dy.
It works both ways, said Yul Solajes, a fan and volleyball player from Taguig.
‘She’s a natural. As a player myself, I relate to her journey. She’s an inspiration inside and outside the court.’
Dy and the High Speed Hitters scored their breakthrough in the PVL recently and won not one but two titles.
‘Hard work always works. It wasn’t easy to get a back-to-back championship. We just worked hard, stayed together, and trusted the process,’ said ‘KKD.’
Jude Turcuato, FVP and Head of Sports at PLDT and Smart, said ‘Champions Together’ was held to further strengthen the connection between athletes and fans.
‘We don’t just build teams – we build communities. Today showed us that the heart of sports isn’t just in the game, but in the people who believe in it,’ he said.
With ‘Champions Together,’ the company reiterated its commitment to the fans who continue to support, celebrate, and stand by their teams through every season.
At the same time, PLDT and Smart remain committed to supporting Filipino athletes by creating platforms that connect teams with their communities.