BATANGAS CITY — Chiara Permentilla made sure her homecoming was one to remember.
With her fellow hometown natives cheering her on at the Batangas City Sports Center here, the Lipa City native delivered a pair of standout performances to steer Nxled to a stunning sweep in the two-day PVL On Tour stop over the weekend.
Feeding off the energy of the hometown crowd, Permentilla led the Chameleons to back-to-back wins over powerhouse squads Petro Gazz and Choco Mucho — sending a strong message that Nxled is no longer just a team in transition.
The 5-foot-7 outside hitter starred in their five-set thriller against reigning All-Filipino Conference champions Petro Gazz, finishing with 10 points — including the team’s last four that capped a gritty comeback, 25-23, 19-25, 19-25, 25-15, 15-10.
But Permentilla wasn’t done. The former Adamson Lady Falcon turned up the heat the following day, exploding for 19 points — nine of which came in a crucial third set— and adding 19 excellent receptions to help Nxled outlast Choco Mucho, 25-20, 26-28, 27-25, 25-22.
“Siyempre 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,” said Permentilla, who basked in the cheers from her family and hometown supporters.
Now 27, Permentilla said the PVL On Tour is more than just a set of exhibition games — it’s a chance for players to give back to their roots and connect with fans who rarely get to see them in person.
(C) PVL Images
“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.”
Indeed, Nxled’s Batangas stop felt like a celebration — not just of volleyball, but of the team’s evolution. Rookie standout Lyann De Guzman continued to shine, while Permentilla provided the veteran backbone with her timely scoring and composed presence on the court.
The Chameleons are now sitting atop Pool A with a perfect 2-0 record, already matching their win total from the previous All-Filipino Conference — a feat that previously took them 14 games to achieve.
After enduring growing pains in recent conferences, Nxled seems to be finally turning the page. Permentilla believes the team is now embracing its identity and rising with renewed belief, thanks in large part to Italian head coach Etorre Guidetti.
“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,” said Permentilla.
“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.”
From hometown pride to hard-earned wins, Permentilla and the Chameleons are starting to make waves — and Batangas was only the beginning.
#WATCH: Chiara Permentilla shares how special it was to deliver a crucial performance in front of her fellow Batangueñas 🏐
🎥 @jonashdcd /Tiebreaker Times#PVLonTour pic.twitter.com/l9DDz4s7Hw
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) June 28, 2025
