The Philippine National Volleyball Federation is looking to call up an all-professional team for the 31st Southeast Asian Games set from May 12-23 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
This as the University Athletic Association of the Philippines is looking to play its women’s volleyball tournament from May 15 to June 30. Moreover, all eight UAAP member schools have already begun their bubble training in their respective campuses.
This means that Ateneo’s Faith Nisperos; University of Santo Tomas’ Eya Laure, Imee Hernandez and Bernadette Pepito; and National University’s Kamille Cal, Mhicaela Belen, Ivy Lacsina, Alyssa Solomon, and Jennifer Nierva will not be part of the national team pool.
Photo by SMM
“Most of the players will be 95-percent from the PVL because yung mga UAAP players natin are not available,” PNVF President Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara said about the team that has Odjie Mamon as head coach and Edson Souza de Brito as consultant. “The UAAP is holding its tournament from February to May so tatama sa SEA Games.”
However, the Premier Volleyball League is also in the midst of deliberation on when it will start its Open Conference.
Originally slated to begin on February 16 inside a bubble, some member teams of the league are looking to postpone the tournament due to the lack of time for training.
The league is set to have a general meeting on Wednesday with two proposals on the table — begin the league in March or after the SEA Games.
“The PVL will have another meeting on Wednesday as per Mr. (Ricky) Palou and Mr. (Tonyboy) Liao to finalize their schedule,” shared Suzara. “The initial plan was for the national team to play in the national team if they start in February. But as of today, Mr. Palou said that they might move to March or after SEA Games na.
“So they will decide on that on Wednesday.”
Initially, all stakeholders of Philippine volleyball have already plotted the activities for the calendar year which coincides with the International Volleyball Federation’s (FIVB) calendar. This included a three-week training camp for all the national teams in Brazil which would have taken place after the PVL.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, however, both the PVL and the UAAP had to adjust.
Seated (from left): Tin Tiamzon, Mhicaela Belen, Jema Galanza, Dawn Macandili, Aby Maraño, Jennifer Nierva, Bernadette Pepito, Iris Tolenada and Kamille Cal.
Standing (first row from left): Team manager Fe Moran, assistant coach Grace Antigua, trainer George Pascua, PNVF Secretary General Don Caringal, consultant-coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito PNVF President Ramon “Tats” Suzara, Deputy Secretary General for International Affairs Ricky Palou, head coach Odjie Mamon, National Team Commission chairman Tonyboy Liao, strength and conditioning coach Paolo Rivero, physical therapist Grace Gomez and trainer Raffy Mosuela .
Standing (second row from left): Imee Hernandez, Faith Nisperos,Ria Meneses, Ivy Lacsina, Dell Palomata, Dindin Santiago-Manabat,MJ Phillips, Kat Tolentino, Kianna Dy and Rhea Dimaculangan.
Not in photo: Eya Laure, Kalei Mau, Tin Tiamzon, Mylene Paat, Majoy Baron and Deanna Wong.
“I will respect whatever their decision is because we already set the calendar,” said Suzara. “If February sila, the Open Conference was scheduled to end on April 9. Then after that, the national team will head to Brazil for a three-week training camp. That is already the original plan. The Brazil training, we are just finalizing it.
“There is also an option that the PVL will be moved after the SEA Games. Following the FIVB calendar — April in our original calendar and May 15 for the FIVB, I would want the national team sana to train afterward for the SEA Games,” he continued.
“So these are two options but we just need to wait for the result of the PVL’s meeting on Wednesday. If they decide on not starting on February or March, the national team will begin training for the SEA Games.”
With regards to the lineup, the PNVF’s national team commission along with all the coaches have submitted their pool to Suzara. It is just waiting for the approval of the board on Tuesday.
POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino (front row, left) and secretary-general Atty. Ed Gastanes administer the oath of office to the officers of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Inc. on Wednesday at The Vault restaurant at the BGC in Taguig City. In photo are Ramon “Tats” Suzara (president), Arnel Hajan (vice president), Ariel Paredes (chairman) Donaldo Caringal (secretary general), Yul Benosa (auditor) and board members Ricky Palou, Karl Chan, Charo Soriano, Carmela Gamboa, Fr. Vic Calvo and Atty. Wharton Chan
“We have the lineup already and the board will approve it tomorrow. We just finished the national team commission meeting, headed by Mr. Liao and all the coaches, and it is just for approval by the board.”
Last year, the pros in the national team pool were Majoy Baron, Dawn Macandili, Kim Dy, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Aby Maraño, Kalei Mau, Ria Meneses, Mylene Paat, Dell Palomata, MJ Phillips, Jaja Santiago, Tin Tiamzon, Iris Tolenada, Deanna Wong, Kat Tolentino, Jema Galanza, and Gel Cayuna.
