Alas Pilipinas Women will not be returning to their mother clubs in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) for the ongoing Reinforced Conference.
This significant development was announced by PNVF national team chairman Ricky Palou during a talk with reporters on Thursday.
The national team athletes will also not participate in the PVL Invitational Conference, which follows immediately after the Reinforced Conference. The top four teams from the ongoing tournament will join two guest teams in the Invitationals.
This decision was influenced by Alas Pilipinas’ scheduled tune-up matches with club teams from Korea and Japan in mid-September, coinciding with the tail end of the Invitationals.
“As far as I know, Alas’ games aren’t over yet. They still have matches against Japanese and Korean club teams here in the Philippines. So, until those games are done, they won’t be able to play because they will be practicing,” explained Palou, who is also the PVL president.
“I understand those games will be around September 9, 10, and 11, which is when we will be wrapping up our Invitational Conference, so they won’t be able to return by then. Unless they change their schedule, but I doubt it,” continued Palou, who recently replaced Tony Boy Liao as the PNVF national team chairman.
Choco Mucho will be heavily affected, as the team continues to struggle without star players Sisi Rondina and Cherry Nunag.
Chery Tiggo will also be without Jen Nierva and Eya Laure, Cignal has been without Dawn Catindig and Vanie Gandler, while PLDT is forced to adjust without Dell Palomata.
Creamline’s Jema Galanza and Akari’s duo of Fifi Sharma and Faith Nisperos will also remain unavailable.
This situation further delays the debut of the league’s first-ever top overall pick, Thea Gagate, for ZUS Coffee, and the third overall selection, Julia Coronel, for Galeries Tower, until next season.
“Technically, they’ll be released by September 15. But by then, the season will be over, so their next appearance in the PVL will likely be in the All-Filipino Conference, which I think will start by November,” Palou added.
