11/05/2026
To all the people attacking Samantha Cantada after the UAAP Finals against DLSU…
Please remember this:
Behind every jersey number is a real human being.
Behind every missed receive, every bad set, every error, every lost point, and every emotional breakdown on the court… there is a person with feelings, fears, sacrifices, and dignity.
Hindi robot si Samantha.
Hindi siya makina.
At lalong hindi siya punching bag ng social media.
As an Adamson University fan and alumni, I will be honest, masakit noon para sa akin nang hindi siya nag stay sa Adamson and eventually chose another path with National University. Siyempre, bilang supporter ng Adamson, nalungkot ako because fans naturally hope talented players will stay and grow with the school they once represented.
But maturity teaches us something important:
Athletes are human beings before they are volleyball players.
They make decisions based on dreams, family, opportunities, pressure, growth, scholarships, and the future they are trying to build for themselves.
Hindi natin hawak ang buhay nila.
And despite my disappointment before, I never felt the need to insult her character, attack her personally, or treat her like she lost her value as a person just because of volleyball.
Because volleyball is only one part of life.
People see the game.
But they do not see the anxiety before sleeping.
The pressure before serving.
The tears after training.
The fear of disappointing thousands of people.
The physical exhaustion.
The mental fatigue.
The expectations from coaches, fans, teammates, schools, and even family.
Madaling magsalita habang nakaupo sa bahay at may hawak na cellphone.
Pero mahirap lumaban sa gitna ng malaking arena habang dala mo ang pressure ng buong season at milyon-milyong mata ang nakatingin sa bawat galaw mo.
One bad game does not define a person.
One Finals loss does not erase years of sacrifice.
One mistake does not cancel someone’s hard work, discipline, and humanity.
Some people act as if athletes are not allowed to fail.
As if they are only worthy of respect when they win.
But the true test of character as fans is not how we celebrate victories.
It is how we treat people when they are struggling.
Nakakalungkot minsan na mas mabilis pa ang tao mang insulto kaysa magpakita ng konting kabutihan.
Words are powerful.
A cruel comment may only take seconds to type, but the emotional damage can stay with a person for years.
Mental health is real.
Pressure is real.
Emotional exhaustion is real.
And sometimes, the people smiling in public are the same people silently crying in private.
Human dignity still matters.
Respect still matters.
Compassion still matters.
At libre lang maging mabuting tao.
You can support your team passionately without destroying another athlete emotionally.
You can criticize performance respectfully without humiliating someone personally.
You can analyze the game without forgetting the humanity of the player.
Because after the cameras are gone…
after the UAAP season ends…
after the crowd becomes quiet…
these athletes still go home carrying emotions, insecurities, exhaustion, pain, and silent battles that the public will never fully understand.
Volleyball is temporary.
But the emotional wounds caused by public humiliation can last far longer than any championship.
Let us never normalize cruelty simply because someone is an athlete.
Win or lose, every player deserves basic human respect.
And sometimes, the strongest thing a fan can do is not to attack harder…
but to choose kindness when the world becomes too cruel.
And My Message to Sam
Samantha Chloey Cantada
Keep your head up and never allow one difficult game, one mistake, or one painful moment to define your entire journey.
“Champions are not built during easy victories. They are built during painful moments when nobody sees the tears, pressure, and sacrifices behind the scenes.”
Maraming tao ang mabilis manghusga kapag may mali. Pero kakaunti lang ang tunay na nakakaintindi kung gaano kabigat ang pressure na dala ng isang student-athlete — physically, mentally, emotionally, at spiritually.
Hindi robot ang mga atleta.
Napapagod din.
Nasasaktan din.
Umiiyak din.
Pero lumalaban pa rin.
“The strongest people are not those who never fall — they are the ones who keep standing back up after every fall.”
Always remember:
Your worth is bigger than one game.
Your character is bigger than one loss.
And your future is bigger than today’s criticisms.
As supporters of volleyball, we should never forget that behind every jersey number is a real human being with dreams, struggles, family pressures, sacrifices, and emotions.
Sa lahat ng bashers at critics, tandaan natin:
Words can either heal or destroy.
Kindness still matters.
Humanity still matters.
Respect still matters.
And to you, Sam —
continue growing,
continue learning,
continue trusting yourself,
and continue chasing your dreams.
Because sometimes, God allows difficult seasons not to destroy us, but to strengthen us.
📖 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” — Philippians 4:13
📖 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7
📖 “The righteous may fall seven times but still rise again.” — Proverbs 24:16
More power to you in volleyball and in life.
Your story is still being written.
And the strongest comeback always comes after the hardest battles.
