The Alas Pilipinas women’s volleyball team is bracing for a tough challenge as it eyes a podium finish at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, set to take place in Thailand from December 9 to 20.
With perennial powerhouses Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia also gunning for medals, the Filipinas face no easy task. The competition will be fierce, but the team is drawing confidence from its recent performance in the AVC Challenge Cup for Women, where they secured silver after falling to Vietnam in the finals.
Brazilian head coach Jorge De Brito, speaking at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday, acknowledged the high level of play among the region’s top squads.
“For sure, those four teams—Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines—are keeping the international standard very high,” said De Brito, who was joined by team captain Jia De Guzman, middle blocker Dell Palomata, and Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Ramon “Tats” Suzara at the forum.
Gold elusive, but momentum building
The Philippines last won a SEA Games gold in 1993 in Singapore and last reached the podium in 2005 in Manila. But with the strides made in recent years, especially under De Brito’s guidance, the team is optimistic.
Although the SEA Games does not offer FIVB ranking points, Suzara emphasized its importance for national pride and regional standing.
“Our main target this year is to perform well at the SEA Games. It’s not on the FIVB calendar, but we’re putting in the work and learning from every international competition,” said Suzara, who also serves as AVC President.
Rising stars, renewed confidence
At the AVC Nations Cup in Hanoi, the Philippines dropped the title match to Vietnam in straight sets—15-25, 17-25, 14-25—but several individual performances stood out.
- Jia De Guzman was awarded Best Setter,
- Dell Palomata earned Best Middle Blocker, and
- Angel Canino was named Best Outside Spiker.
De Guzman believes the team is steadily closing the gap with the region’s best.
“We just have to stay committed to the program. Vietnam and Thailand may be ahead, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be caught,” she said.
“The fact that they now see us as a growing threat is a huge sign. It’s up to us to capitalize on that momentum.”
Keeping the core intact
De Brito stressed the importance of continuity, revealing that the team plans to retain its core of 25 players, many of whom were part of the silver-winning squad in Hanoi.
“We already have a solid core. These 25 players are the ones we’re going to keep and develop,” he said.
Road to Thailand: Key competitions ahead
Before the SEA Games, the Alas Pilipinas squad is set for more international exposure:
- VTV Cup – later this month in Vietnam
- Southeast Asian V. League – in Vietnam and Thailand this August
With the team gaining experience, individual accolades, and growing chemistry, the path to the SEA Games podium is becoming clearer.
As De Guzman put it, “As long as we keep believing in the process, our time will come.”