The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) plans to stage a bubble training for both the men’s and women’s indoor national teams in Ilocos Norte.
Provincial governor Matthew Manotoc bared the development in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum webcast Tuesday, adding that PNVF President Tats Suzara is looking to send the squads on June 15.
“President Tats Suzara, bumisita po sa amin sa Saud, Pagudpud. And he’s planning to send the indoor volleyball teams here on June 15 — both the men’s and the women’s,” he said in the session powered by SMART.
Suzara visited Barangay Saud recently to check on the national beach volleyball teams, which are training in the Villa Del Mar Resort.
Stars Jude Garcia and Sisi Rondina banner the training pool. They will join Bernadeth Pons, Anthony Arbasto, Jaron Requinton, James Buytrago, Pemie Bagalay, Ran Abdilla, Dzi Gervacio, and Dij Rodriguez.
The sand spikers are preparing for the Asian Volleyball Confederation Continental Cup in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, starting June 18. The upcoming tournament is a qualifier for the Tokyo Olympics.
Meanwhile, the indoor teams will commence their gear-up for both the Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship from August 29-September 5 in Pampanga; and for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam in November.
The PNVF now plans to start its training bubble almost a couple of months after its much-talked-about tryouts in Subic, Zambales.
The men’s pool will feature 13 players that helped the Philippines clinch the silver medal in the 2019 SEA Games, led by Marck Espejo, veteran Jessie Lopez, Bryan Bagunas, Rex Intal, and Kim Malabunga.
On the other hand, the distaff side features four members of the team that finished fourth in the said biennial meet held in Manila. These are Eya Laure, Mylene Paat, Aby Maraño, and Majoy Baron.
It is not just the newly-formed federation that plans to head up north for its activities.
According to Manotoc, his office has also been in touch with the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), which aims to resume play this year.
“We’re in touch with PVL, with Tito Ricky Palou. We’re exploring pa lang,” he told the weekly forum presented by San Miguel Corp., MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, and PAGCOR.
“Medyo maaga pa po, but we’re looking kung kaya po natin in terms of the numbers, especially if we can host them.”
