IT’S going to be a different ball game altogether for Alas Pilipinas women’s volleyball team when it aims for a podium finish in this year’s Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Despite coming off a rousing silver medal campaign in the AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup in Hanoi a few days ago, the Filipina volleybelles are still expected to have their hands full in the 33rd edition of the SEA Games this December as they battle out some of the region’s finest teams such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and the host country for the coveted gold medal.
Coach Jorge De Brito sees the four countries vying for the championship, given the way they’ve been actively competing in the region and other parts of the world, including the just concluded AVC meet where the Vietnamese beat the Filipinas for the gold, 25-15; 25-17; 25-14.
“For sure, those four teams, they keep the international standard very high,” said De Brito in the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
De Brito was joined by Alas women’s team captain Jia De Guzman, Dell Palomata, and Philippine National Volleyball Federation President Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara in the session presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.
Suzara pointed out the significance of having a strong showing in the SEA Games despite the tournament not carrying any points ranking in the world.
“Of course the main target for the Alas women’s this year is the SEA Games which is not really in the calendar of the FIVB,” he said. “We’re working hard, and everyday we keep on improving from any learning experience in every competition.”
It’s been more than three decades since the women’s volleyball team last won the gold in the biennial meet in Singapore, while its last podium finish came in the 2005 edition held here in Manila.
De Guzman, named Best Setter in the AVC Nations Cup where Palomata was also adjudged Best Middle Blocker, along with teammate Angel Canino as Best Outside Spiker, added that in time, the Philippines can likewise reach the playing level of countries like Vietnam and Thailand.
“We just have to stick to the program, because if we do, I have no doubt that one day, we will reach that level also. Hindi naman porke nauuna sila, hindi na sila mahahabol,” said the 30-year-old Ateneo product. “They recognized that the Philippines is growing, and we have to take advantage of that fact, kasi the fact that they are saying that, it means we’re starting to become a threat.”
“So Thailand, Vietnam, and even Indonesia, maaabot din natin yun as long as we stick to what we are doing now.”
De Brito is open to adding some players to the current Alas women’s roster, but stressed the need to keep together the current core of 25 players that won the silver medal in Hanoi.
“We have a core already of 25 players. And these 25 are the guys we’re going to keep,” he said.
The Alas women’s team will still compete in the 2025 VTV Cup later this month in Vietnam and the Southeast Asian V. League in August in Vietnam and Thailand, respectively, prior to going to the SEA Games.
