BATANGAS CITY — For Chiara Permentilla, playing in front of her fellow Batangueños wasn’t just a homecoming—it was a declaration.
Under the bright lights of the Batangas City Sports Center and surrounded by family, friends, and local supporters, the 27-year-old Lipa native rose to the occasion, delivering two electric performances that powered Nxled to a surprise sweep of the PVL On Tour’s weekend leg.
Permentilla, feeding off the energy of the hometown crowd, led the Chameleons to consecutive victories against perennial title contenders Petro Gazz and Choco Mucho—two teams that had previously loomed large over Nxled’s rebuilding phase. With each kill, dig, and reception, Permentilla reminded everyone that Nxled is no longer the league’s fledgling project—they’re evolving, and fast.
In the opener, Permentilla spearheaded a gutsy comeback against reigning All-Filipino champions Petro Gazz, finishing with 10 crucial points. But it was how she finished that left a lasting impression. With the match hanging in the balance, she delivered Nxled’s final four points in the fifth set to cap off the 25-23, 19-25, 19-25, 25-15, 15-10 win.
Not content with just one highlight reel performance, the former Adamson Lady Falcon doubled down the next day. She erupted for 19 points—nine of which came in the pivotal third set—and backed it up with 19 excellent receptions as Nxled turned back Choco Mucho, 25-20, 26-28, 27-25, 25-22, in another statement win.
“Syempre inspired kasi nandito ‘yung relatives ko, so talagang we wanna showcase ‘yung talent namin, kung anong pwedeng ipakita ng Nxled. ‘Yun nga, sobrang excited talaga kami maglaro,” Permentilla shared, visibly emotional as she reflected on the rare opportunity to perform in front of her hometown.
But beyond the personal milestone, Permentilla underscored the bigger purpose behind the PVL On Tour: bridging the gap between teams and fans in far-flung cities that don’t regularly host league action.
“It’s very important. Ang daming nata-touch na cities, iba’t ibang culture ni PVL. ‘Yun nga, this time kami naman ‘yung lumalapit sa fans, kami naman ‘yung nage-effort na makita nila kami in person. Kami ‘yung dumadayo kumbaga, hindi na nila kailangang pumunta to watch us,” she explained.
“So I think it’s a very good gesture from the PVL to do this. Lahat sana ng cities talaga sa Philippines mapuntahan natin, even ‘yung mga cities na hindi masyadong kilala.”
The two wins propelled Nxled to the top of Pool A with a perfect 2-0 record, already equaling their total victories from the previous All-Filipino Conference—an achievement that previously took 14 games to reach. This time, it took only two.
Permentilla’s leadership was complemented by the continued emergence of rookie sensation Lyann De Guzman, who brought her own firepower and energy on the wings. Together, they embodied the dual identity of this Nxled squad: young and hungry, yet guided by experience.
After enduring conference after conference of transition, the Chameleons appear to be finally finding their stride. A huge part of that stability, Permentilla noted, is the presence of Italian head coach Etorre Guidetti, who has remained at the helm despite the team’s earlier struggles.
“Big factor din na nag-stay sa’min si coach [Etorre] kasi nga we just went through again the system, and talagang this is a matter of trusting the process talaga,” Permentilla said. “The team has been through a lot, a lot of changes, through a lot of difficulties together and you know, day by day, slowly, game after game, we’re regaining our confidence.”
