MANILA, Philippines — Becoming the first-ever libero to win the PVL Finals MVP was a culmination of Kath Arado’s journey from heartbreaks to a two-time champion.

What has been elusive for Arado with the University of the East in the UAAP and early years in the PVL was doubled as PLDT outlasted Japan’s 21-25, 31-29, 25-22, 25-18, in the Invitational Final on Sunday evening at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

READ: PVL: PLDT rules Invitational for back-to-back titles

Kath Arado is Finals MVP!#PVLInvitational #PVL2025 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/hgMG0UjEfK

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) August 31, 2025

With Arado anchoring the floor defense with 22 digs and being the team’s longtime leader, the High Speed Hitters are looking more and more like an emerging dynasty after capturing a second consecutive championship just two weeks removed from their maiden title run in the On Tour.

“I’m super happy. Honestly, the word proud doesn’t even feel enough for what I’m feeling about this team. And actually, I didn’t even know a libero could win Finals MVP. I had no idea that was possible. So I’m really happy, and at the same time, proud of the whole team because we’ve come such a long way,” said Arado, who was also named Best Libero for the fifth time, in Filipino.

The 27-year-old defensive specialist was fulfilled to be part of the first team to pull off back-to-back perfect campaigns after a slew of quarterfinal and semifinal exits.

“From Day 1, we’ve been through a lot together, especially trying to stay injury-free. That was a big deal for us because we came from a phase where many of us were dealing with injuries. So this win feels extra special. It’s like cloud nine,” she said.

“We knew it wouldn’t be easy, especially seeing how the other team played in their previous matches. They were incredibly patient and fought hard for every point. So we knew we had to match or even exceed that level of grit and composure. I’m just really, really proud.”

READ: PVL: Kath Arado finally gets taste of title success with PLDT

#PVLInvitational FINALS MVP Kath Arado stays hungry for more championship. #PVL2025 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/2JHIROahkO

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) August 31, 2025

Aside from her teammates, Arado credited her steady leadership to coach Rald Ricafort and other coaches.

“I’m also really thankful to be surrounded by teammates and coaches who are patient with me. They keep feeding me the right energy and trust, and that’s been a big reason why I’m still playing at this level. I also feel so comfortable with this team. There’s no filter, no hesitation in the way I move or play because we all know and trust each other’s style. We just complement one another so well, and I think that’s why I keep getting better every game,” she said.

Winning the title provided the PLDT captain a sense of relief and more motivation to keep going with the Reinforced Conference coming up in October.

“This is our real celebration. The last time we won, it didn’t fully feel like we could celebrate. We were still in that game mindset, like we still have more games to play so we didn’t go all out yet. Now, even though I haven’t fully celebrated personally, I’m just really, really happy and incredibly proud,” said Arado.