CANDON CITY, ILOCOS SUR — Still recovering from a minor illness, Alas Pilipinas Men’s starting setter Owa Retamar could’ve easily sat out the country’s campaign in the 2025 SEA V.League held at the Candon City Arena here.
But as one of the team’s most seasoned players, alongside tournament captain Kim Malabunga, Retamar pushed through the discomfort. He delivered when it mattered most, playing a crucial role in the Nationals’ hard-fought five-set victory over Cambodia on Saturday night.
Retamar missed the team’s first two matches due to the illness but made his return count, steering a determined Alas Pilipinas squad to a gritty 25-21, 25-27, 32-30, 23-25, 15-8 win over the winless Cambodians to keep their hopes for a historic SEA V.League title alive.
“Masaya pa rin kasi kahit papaano, nakapag-perform pa rin ako ng maayos ngayon. May sumasakit man, siyempre kailangan pa rin mag-perform ng maayos at pilitin. Masaya ako kasi maganda yung linaro ng middle [blockers] and outside [spikers],” said the UAAP Season 85 Finals MVP, breathing a sigh of relief.
Aside from battling illness, Retamar also drew motivation from the absence of team captain Marck Espejo, who was ruled out of the tournament due to an ankle injury sustained during Alas Men’s 10th-place finish in the 2025 AVC Nations Cup.
With Espejo sidelined, Retamar took it upon himself to step into a greater leadership role — guiding a youthful squad largely composed of collegiate standouts such as Buds Buddin, Peng Taguibolos, Leo Ordiales, Jade Disquitado, Kennedy Batas, and Josh Ybanez.
Their collective effort helped ease Retamar’s return to the court and gave him the confidence to lead with clarity.
“Masaya kasi isa ako sa mga seniors ng team, kasabayan ko sila kuya Bryan [Bagunas]. Ngayon, isa ako sa mga matatanda sa court. Masaya lang ako kasi nag-perform sila ng maganda. Natulungan ko sila, tinulungan nila ako,” shared the San Pedro, Laguna native.
“Pagdating kasi sa loob ng court, lagi sila nakikinig sa akin. Kung may adjustment man na kailangan gawin, lagi silang a-approach sa akin na, ‘Kuya, ano gagawin?’ Buti na lang nakikinig sila.”
With a golden opportunity now within reach, Retamar, together with Malabunga, is focused on uniting the team around one collective goal: capturing the championship.
To win the title, Alas Pilipinas must beat Indonesia on Sunday at 6:00 PM and hope for either a straight loss by Thailand to Cambodia in the earlier match or a Thai win in five sets — a complicated but still possible scenario.
Regardless of the outcome, Retamar reminded his teammates to embrace the challenge with perspective, emphasizing that the SEA V.League is also part of their build-up for a bigger goal: the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, which is just 60 days away.
“May chance kami na mag-gold pa bukas. Gagawin namin yung best namin. Kakausapin namin sila mamaya ni kuya Kim [Malabunga] na mag-all out at magpahinga nang maayos. At siyempre, no pressure. Manalo, matalo kami bukas, dapat wala kaming pagsisisihan,” said Retamar.
“Itong SEA V.League, parang training na namin ito sabi nga ni coach Angiolino [Frigoni]. Malalaman dito kung ano pa talaga yung kulang sa amin. Kita sa laro na may mga difficulties kung paano kami magpasa, kung paano kami mag-recover, at kung paano namin maco-convert sa puntos ‘yon.”
#WATCH: With captain Kim Malabunga leading the way, Owa Retamar rises as a veteran presence for Alas Men in the absence of Marck Espejo! 🇵🇭🏐
🎥 @ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times#SEAVLeague pic.twitter.com/c90oF0OpES
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) July 12, 2025
