AT 16 years old, Kath Bulaqueña left Zamboanga Del Norte to pursue her aspirations of becoming a collegiate table tennis player in Metro Manila. Her two-year stint with Ateneo in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Juniors’ Division molded her to be a key contributor for the Ateneo Women’s Table Tennis Team. She was also an integral piece to the team’s first runner-up finish in UAAP Season 82. Despite attaining significant accomplishments in table tennis, being away from her family has made her journey to success far from an easy one.
Humble beginnings
Hailing from the small town of Tampilisan, Zamboanga Del Norte, Bulaqueña first picked up a table tennis paddle back in Grade 5 to play for fun. Her earliest encounter with the sport ignited her passion and desire to play competitively. Because of this, her parents hired a personal trainer to help Bulaqueña develop her skills.
As she slowly gained more experience through regular training sessions and participating in provincial competitions, Bulaqueña improved and garnered success at the regional level. In 2012, Bulaqueña emerged as the individual category champion of the Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Athletic Association tournament—the Palarong Pambansa regional qualifier—a title she would hold for the next four years.
As the regional champion, Bulaqueña represented Region IX in the Palarong Pambansa, where she brought home bronze medals for the team play category in 2012 and the individual category in 2015. Her performance ultimately sparked interest from universities based in Manila. Shortly after graduating from junior high school, she received recruitment offers from UAAP member schools like Ateneo, De La Salle University, University of the East, and the University of Santo Tomas (UST).
Bulaqueña shared that as she discerned over which senior high school to attend, she did not consider how the teams performed in recent seasons. Instead, she looked at how each university could contribute to her overall personal growth. At one point, she almost decided to take her talents to UST, but the holistic education that Ateneo provides ultimately pushed her to play for the Blue and White. “I felt like [Ateneo] has the capacity to fully develop not just my skills in playing table tennis, but also my capabilities both as a student and a human being,” she said.
Second home
Being miles away from Zamboanga Del Norte, Bulaqueña took some time adjusting to life in Metro Manila. Aside from feeling homesick numerous times throughout her first year, Bulaqueña experienced her fair share of struggles with the Ateneo Senior High School’s rigorous academic standards.
Bulaqueña recalled failing some of her subjects as a newcomer back in Grade 11, but she quickly adjusted by managing her time more wisely and exerting more effort in her academics. Her perseverance eventually paid off when she managed to pull her grades up and pass all her subjects by the end of the school year. She even snagged a third honor award in Grade 12—an achievement that she genuinely felt proud of.
The failures she previously experienced ultimately served as a wake-up call for her to learn from her mistakes and be aware of her responsibilities as a student-athlete. Through time, she became more independent and developed into a more responsible student in the years to come.
Pursuit of excellence
Amid adversities, Bulaqueña managed to thrive as a student-athlete in Ateneo. In her first campaign with the Blue and White, Bulaqueña immediately played a key role and led the Ateneo Girl’s Table Tennis Team to a bronze finish in 2016.
Upon comparing the level of competition between tournaments in Metro Manila and in the province, Bulaqueña realized that the stakes were significantly higher in the big leagues. “The UAAP has a lot of pressure compared to competitions at home. The atmosphere is different because you know that the players competing are experienced already,” she said. With the tougher playing field, Bulaqueña knew that she needed to adjust in order to match up well against her competitors. “You also have to do your best and train harder compared to the others.”
Despite her success in the Juniors’ Division, Bulaqueña failed to see the same triumph in her rookie year in the Seniors’ Division. The Ateneo Women’s Table Tennis Team struggled throughout their campaign in Season 81 in which they settled for a sixth-place finish with a 5-9 record.
However, after gaining a year of playing experience in the collegiate ranks, Bulaqueña eventually eased into a bigger role as one of the veteran players in the team. Together with her teammates, they exceeded expectations and achieved a milestone for the program by scoring a first runner-up finish in Season 82.
As a player who has been with the team through the ups and downs, Bulaqueña lauded the desire and efforts of her teammates as one of the key drivers of their newfound success. “It’s very motivating and inspiring to see my team grow and improve. We worked really hard and sacrificed a lot, and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved. However, we know that we still have work to do,” she said.
Better days
With her achievements on and off the court, Bulaqueña confidently asserts that she made the right decision to come to Manila and play for the Blue and White. “No matter what the other schools have offered to me, I would still choose to stay in the Ateneo because it already speaks home to me, and if I am given a chance to do it all over again, I’d still pick Ateneo,” she claimed.
The highs and lows that Bulaqueña experienced prove to be pivotal in her journey as an Atenean student-athlete. Her story serves as an inspiration to many athletes—especially to those who come from the provinces and are striving hard to make their athletic dreams a reality. With two years left to play for the Blue and White, Bulaqueña vows to leave a lasting legacy and set an example that the next generation of players can proudly look up to.
