CANDON, Ilocos Sur — Despite a bittersweet end to her national team journey, Jovelyn Gonzaga remained filled with pride and gratitude, cherishing the chance to represent the Philippines on the international stage one final time.
Gonzaga closed the curtain on her national team career following Alas Pilipinas’ 21-25, 12-25, 21-25 defeat to Iran, which dropped the host nation to eighth place in the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup on Sunday morning.
“Sobrang thankful ako sa opportunity na ibinigay na for one last time, I got to play for the Philippines,” said the 34-year-old opposite hitter, who finished with six points in the loss.
Her dream had always been to bring honor to the country, a goal she had already fulfilled with a bronze medal in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in 2021 and a gold medal in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures in 2022.
“Gusto ko lang talaga mabigyan ng medalya ang Pilipinas,” said Gonzaga, a member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. “Nakuha ko siya sa beach volley, pero grateful ako na natapos ‘yung national team stint ko dito sa indoor. Grateful ako.”
Beyond the medals, Gonzaga’s career has been defined by her unwavering commitment to the national team, consistently answering the call for the country whenever needed and leaving behind a legacy of dedication and pride in Philippine colors.
That same sense of duty was on full display in what turned out to be her final national team campaign, as she suited up one last time for the Philippines after most of the core players had begged off from the call-up, stepping in when the team needed her despite the challenges that came with it.
Gonzaga now hopes that younger players can take something from her experience — especially the value of always answering the call for the country, regardless of circumstance.
“Always naman, always naman even no’ng high school pa lang ako, ‘pag pinatawag ako ng Pilipinas, nag-iimpake talaga ako para sa Pilipinas,” said the ZUS Coffee ace.
“Kami naman kasi, ‘pag pinatawag kami, we will be here to step up for the country. So ‘yun lang talaga nakatatak sa amin. Even noong bata pa ako, CPU pa ako, ‘pag pinatawag ako ng national team, ‘di pa ‘ko nakakaimpake, may flight na ako. Ganun ‘yung puso,” she added.
In the end, Gonzaga said she closes her national team chapter with no regrets, grateful for the opportunity to represent the Philippines one last time and proud to have given everything she had in her final stint.
“This is my last chance to represent the country, and no regrets, sobra akong happy I got to play the sport that I love.”
