For Mapua University volleyball player Jonina Fernandez, it's "diskarte" over "galing" any day.
The NCAA standout said that while excelling in your career could take you places, there’s still more weight placed on equipping yourself with life hacks or street smarts.
"Hindi ako magaling, ma-diskarte lang ako," Fernandez said in Chino Trinidad's '24 Oras' report on Thursday.
"Sa volleyball, sasabihin nila na 'ang galing naman nito,' hindi po totoo iyon. Hindi po ako naniniwala doon. Parang iniisip ko lang, ma-diskarte ako, pinaghirapan ko 'to," she said.
("In volleyball, they say, 'this one's good,' but that's not true. I don't believe in that. I just think I have street smarts and I worked hard for this.")
Fernandez is an embodiment of a true student-athlete.
She is currently a third year Chemical Engineering student in Mapua and fulfilling her duties as a student while also training at home as an open spiker for the Lady Cardinals, who have yet to win a title in the league.
According to Fernandez, she's not the best and the brightest in her field but she is always up to face life's challenges such as the unprecedented setup brought by the pandemic.
"Masakit. Ang hirap. Hindi siya part ng buhay mo, as in buhay mo na talaga 'yung paglalaro tapos biglang mawawala sa 'yo," she said, after more than a year since her team last saw action on the taraflex.
("It hurts. It's difficult. It's not just part of your life, it's your life, playing, that is taken away from you.")
"Kahit mahirap, kakayanin ko po. Ngayon pa ba ako susuko eh halos nasa kalagitnaan na ako. S'yempre tuloy lang po dapat," she said.
("Even though it's difficult, I'll endure. Can I give up now when I'm already in the middle? Of course we must move forward.")
—Bea Micaller/MGP, GMA News
