CANDON, Ilocos Sur – Much has been said about how the current Alas Pilipinas roster came together amid a turbulent backdrop in Philippine volleyball.
The Philippine National Volleyball Federation has come under heavy scrutiny amid deepening governance issues. Several key players also declined national team duty, forcing the federation to assemble a hastily-formed roster built around veteran PVL players and up-and-coming talents from the UAAP.
The situation escalated further, leading to the PNVF’s suspension from the FIVB and the Philippine Olympic Committee, with the Philippine Sports Commission also freezing funding — all unfolding just days before the new-look Alas Pilipinas begins its campaign in the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup.
For team captain Alyssa Valdez, however, the focus inside the national team camp has remained straightforward: the work on the court, the effort put in every day, and the commitment of every player to represent the country amid the noise from outside.
For that, she said she couldn’t feel prouder of the squad, which has continued to stay united and committed despite the challenges surrounding the program.
“So, one thing that we wanna… Something that we’re proud of is to actually represent the country,” said Valdez, who has been among the most heavily-scrutinized figures for her continued commitment to suit up for the national team despite the surrounding issues.
“Despite all the things that’s happening everywhere, despite the noise, and we’re just very, very happy.”
Alas Pilipinas’ bid to reach the semifinals ended on Thursday after suffering a straight-sets defeat at the hands of Chinese Taipei, 16-25, 14-25, 10-25, marking the country’s lowest finish in the tournament over the past two years.
The result marked a stark contrast from the team’s breakthrough run in recent editions, where the Philippines clinched a historic bronze medal in 2024 and followed it up with a silver in 2025 — its highest finishes in any continental tournament.
Those campaigns were anchored by the original Alas Pilipinas unit led by then-captain Jia De Guzman, before several members — with the exception of Thea Gagate and Alyssa Solomon — of that same group later opted out of national team duty, paving the way for the retooled Alas Pilipinas squad.
The Philippines will now head to the classification phase, with its final standing still to be determined as it awaits results that will decide whether it will compete in the fifth- or seventh-place match.
Valdez vowed to give everything they have in a bid to secure the best possible finish for the country in the tournament, which is presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, FIVB, AVC, Volleyball World, and Candon City headed by Mayor Eric Singson.
“Tama si coach Shaq talaga; we really need preparation and most especially, medyo veteran na rin ‘yung mga nakakalaban namin dito. And kami as veteran din, pero siyempre kailangan din ng quality time together as a team,” said the three-time PVL MVP.
“Kakaiba din talaga yung pressure sa mga ganito, and sobrang saya nga, sarap din sa pakiramdam na makaramdam ulit ng ganitong pressure. Pero kailangan namin talagang pagtrabahuhan pa. So, may ilang days kami to train. So hopefully, mas ma-polish pa namin and makapag-communicate kami as a team. And yun lang yung gagawin namin.”
Looking ahead, the Creamline skipper said the hope is that the younger members of the squad will carry the lessons of this campaign with them. They must use the experience as fuel to grow, improve, and eventually lead the national team into a stronger future.
“So, madami pang maabot yung mga bata dito, so hopefully magandang experience ‘to para sa kanila. Most especially, we’re looking forward and we’re hopeful na yung mga bata talaga magpatuloy na maglaro para sa bayan.”
