Galanza was born and raised in San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines to Jesse and Fe Galanza. She went to San Pedro Relocation Center National High School, San Pedro, Laguna and earned her bachelor's degree at Adamson University. She has three siblings and her youngest sister, Maria Fe "Mafe" Galanza,[3] played for the University of Santo Tomas' Golden Tigresses.
In March 2018, pictures of Galanza went viral as netizens could not get over her photogenic[4] face and smile while playing volleyball for her school.[5]
Galanza is one of the most-followed streamers in KUMU, where she gained at least 85,000 followers in less than a month since joining the streaming app in September 2021.[6] In an out-of-town game where Galanza was being wildly cheered, she told reporters that her followers were an added motivation to have stellar plays.[7]
Careeredit
In 2013, Galanza debuted as a reserve player of Adamson University in the beach volleyball tournament.[8] She teamed up with star players Bang Pineda and Amanda Villanueva, and they completed a two-game championship sweep of the UAAP Season 76 women’s beach volleyball tournament against University of Santo Tomas.[9]
In 2021, Galanza was invited to the training pool of the Philippine national volleyball team who would compete in the 2021 Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship in Thailand from October 1 to 07, 2021.[17]
In 2022, Galanza was again called up in the final line-up of the Philippine national volleyball team and was set for her first SEA games appearance in Hanoi, Vietnam in May 2022.[18]
Eat Bulaga co-host Allan K asked Galanza in her noontime show appearance in August 2021 if she can accept an acting role and she answered in the affirmative; in fact, the genre she wanted was comedy.[19] She ended up starring in Day Zero, an action-horror movie that premiered at a film fest in Switzerland on July 3, 2022, with lead actors Brandon Vera, Joey Marquez, Mary Jean Lastimosa, and Ricci Rivero, among others.[20]
There is no stopping Galanza's professional volleyball onslaught from scoring her career-high 28 points in the Adamson win over UST in the UAAP way back in 2016 to creating a highly unusual play of five straight points for the Cool Smashers via her spikes as part of the 2022 TV5 highlights shown on One Sports half a decade later, not to mention a triple-double of 17 points, 18 excellent digs, and 13 excellent receptions in a thrilling Creamline-Chery Tiggo finals match in the PVL in 2021.[21][22][23]
An AVC veteran, Galanza helped the Creamline-powered Philippine National Team take a gallant stand against five-time champion China on August 23, 2022, and the next day, she topscored with 21 points while Carlos and Gumabao added 14 and 13 points in the first win of the host Philippines over Iran.[25][26][27] Galanza also came up clutch, scoring 18 points in the last two sets of their win in the AVC Cup classification match against Australia.[28]
The 2019 PVL MVP Galanza, who converted the championship point and topscored for the Creamline Cool Smashers in Game 3 of the All-Filipino Conference Finals against the Petro Gazz Angels on March 30, 2023, now has three Best Spiker honors to her name.[29][30]
Awardsedit
Individualedit
2015 16th National Intercollegiate Volleyball “Best Attacker”[31][32]
^Escarlote, Mark (September 13, 2018). "PVL Open Conference: Cool Smashers search for another title". ABS-CBN Sports. Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^Velasco, Jillian (July 28, 2022). "Creamline reaches PVL Invitational semis, leaves Chery Tiggo at bottom". Spin.ph. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
^Escarlote, Mark (September 7, 2018). "Galanza, Nabor earn National team spots". ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
^Escarlote, Mark (September 14, 2018). "AVC Asian Cup: Team PHI marches into battle". ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
^Escarlote, Mark (December 8, 2018). "PVL: Valdez earns Open Conference MVP honors". ABS-CBN Sports. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
^Escarlote, Mark (December 8, 2018). "PVL: Cool Smashers crush Lady Eagles, rule Open Conference". ABS-CBN Sports. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
^Cabildo, Leigh Nald (November 9, 2019). "Jema Galanza bags 2019 PVL Open Conference MVP". Rappler. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
^"Galanza grateful to be in national team pool". ESPN.com. August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
^Agcaoili, Lance (March 15, 2022). "Alyssa Valdez, Jaja Santiago lead PH volleyball team for SEA Games". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
^"Jema Galanza open to joining showbiz". Fastbreak PH. August 23, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
^"Jema Galanza tows Adamson past UST in 5 sets". INQUIRER.net. February 3, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
^Isaga, JR (August 11, 2021). "Creamline survives late Chery Tiggo rally in 5-set finals thriller". Rappler. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
^Agcaoili, Lance (July 29, 2022). "PVL: Jema Galanza's 'do it all' mindset fuels Creamline push". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
^Morales, Luisa (August 14, 2022). "Creamline schools KingWhale to clinch PVL Invitational crown". Philstar. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
^Verora, Levi (August 24, 2022). "Galanza 'proud' of PH's mindset vs China in AVC Cup". Sports Bytes Philippines. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
^Reyes, Kate (August 24, 2022). "Jema Galanza stands tall to lead a gallant PH stand vs China". Spin.ph. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
^Agcaoili, Lance (August 24, 2022). "AVC Cup: Jema Galanza wills Creamline-PH past Iran for first win". Retrieved August 25, 2022.
^Agcaoili, Lance (August 28, 2022). "'All heart': Jema Galanza plays through pain to lead Creamline-PH rally in AVC Cup". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
^Lance, Agcaoili (March 30, 2023). "Creamline beats Petro Gazz anew to win fourth PVL All-Filipino title". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
^Bolima, Martin Dale (March 30, 2023). "Tots Carlos bags third MVP as Creamline dominates PVL All-Filipino awards list". Retrieved March 30, 2023.
^Rile, Nicole (April 18, 2021). "V-League Diaries: Volleyball's 5 Open Spikers that Brough Back Philippine Volleyball". The POST. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
^Ramos, MJF (June 22, 2015). "Soaring Falcons win intercollegiate volleyball c'ship; Lady Falcons settle for runner-up finish". The Adamson News. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
^Agcaoili, Lance (March 31, 2023). "Eager to finish the job for Creamline, Jema Galanza showcases reliability anew". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
^Reyes, Marc Anthony (April 8, 2022). "PVL: Creamline completes sweep to claim Open Conference title". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 13, 2022.