Back-to-back All-Filipino MVP Brooke Van Sickle and Finals MVP MJ Phillips made it clear that they are Filipinos by blood and by heart as the Petro Gazz Angels win PVL crown.
Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Phillips have heard the chatter—the labels, the doubts, and the questions about their identities.
But that didn't stop the two from lighting up the court en route to the Petro Gazz Angels' first PVL All-Filipino Conference title.
Amid all the comments, Van Sickle and Phillips know who they are: proud Filipinas, through and through.
Van Sickle, who took home her second-straight All-Filipino MVP award, addressed the sentiment that still lingers among those who call out their foreign blood.
The 27-year-old spiker’s family hails from San Emilio in Ilocos Sur, where her mother, Lisa Bragado Van Sickle, is Pinay.
“It is what it is, and, you know, I’m here, and I want to represent the Philippines. I am Filipino. I do have a passport, and I got it on my own,” Van Sickle told reporters after Petro Gazz’s Game 3 victory over Creamline.
“I don’t expect people to be open arms with us. I understand how they feel. I just hope that one day they’ll embrace us and accept us.”
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For Van Sickle, the journey to fully reconnect with her heritage has been personal, especially after missing out on much of her Filipino roots while growing up in the United States, mostly in Hawaii.
“I just want to be able to play the sport I love, continue to immerse myself in this culture—our culture,” she added. “I’m really grateful to be here now and experiencing it, even if I missed it when I was younger. I think this is just part of the journey God had for me.”
Meanwhile, Phillips, who took home Finals MVP honors, also shared that her connection to the Philippines runs deeper than volleyball. Her mother Rowena hails from Iba, Zambales.
The Fil-American middle blocker arrived in the Philippines in 2018, where she played for the Sta. Lucia Realtors first before joining Petro Gazz in 2022.
“I try to ignore the comments because everything I do is honestly for my mom and my Lola who passed away,” said Phillips. “Every time I look at the flag, I think of the Philippines. It’s all for my Lola, may she rest in peace.”
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While both players acknowledge that navigating fan perception is part of the process, Van Sickle and Phillips remain firm in their love for the country and the game.
“I wish the best for them, and I get it,” Van Sickle added. “But hopefully one day, we’ll all love each other and be okay.”
Now, the two can celebrate not just their awards, but Petro Gazz’s first PVL All-Filipino crown.