Tats Suzara was elected to a fresh two-year term as president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) during the national sports association’s board meeting at The Vault at the Bonifacio Global City.
“I would like to thank the PNVF board for their trust and confidence in me leading the federation. Rest assured, I will work toward making volleyball better and our national athletes stronger in the next two years,” said Suzara, who also thanked the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Philippine Sports Commission for supporting the PNVF.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano was elevated as the PNVF’s chairman emeritus, while Dr. Arnel Hajan of Isabela City (Basilan) was named chairman.
“Thank you for the small part that I have been given in the PNVF,” Cayetano said in a brief speech after the elections. “Let’s look forward again to 2023 and further.”
Cayetano was also named head of delegation of the national volleyball team to the Cambodia 32nd Southeast Asian Games in May and Senator Pia Cayetano of the squad to the Hangzhou Asian Games in September.
Also reelected were Richard “Ricky” Palou as Vice President, Donaldo Caringal as Secretary-General, Tuguegarao City Councilor Maria Rosario “Charo” Soriano as Treasurer, and Yul Benosa as Auditor.
Making up the board are Anthony “Tonyboy” Liao, Carmela Arcolas Gamboa, Rodrigo Roque, Fr. Victor “Vic” Calvo Jr., Sisinio Ariel Paredes, Karl Jeffrey Chan and Michael Angelo “Miko” Vargas.
Leyte Fourth District Rep. Richard Gomez was also named deputy secretary-general in charge of international competitions.
Suzara was elected president in February 2021 after the FIVB ordered for the creation of a new national sports association for volleyball under the supervision of the POC headed by President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
Tuesday’s elections were supervised by Atty. Alfedo Villamor Jr. and witnessed by POC representative Karen Tanchanco Caballero.
In 2021-22, the PNVF established concrete policies specially in the creation of the national teams for indoor and beach volleyball. Last year, the federation hosted four international competitions—a men and women leg of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), Asian Volleyball Confederation Women’s Cup and the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures.
Suzara also worked for the FIVB assigning Brazilian coaches Jorge Edson Souza de Brito (women indoor) and Joao Luciano Kioday (beach volleyball) to handle the national teams. A third Brazilian, Sergio Veloso, is due this month to coach the men’s indoor squad.
Suzara again programmed a busy calendar for 2023 highlighted by the return of the VNL in July and the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures in November as well as a leg of the ASEAN Men’s Grand Prix.
The PNVF, Suzara added, is also reactivating the national under-18 and collegiate championships for men and women, and the resumption of the Champions League.
The PNVF has also been tapped by the University Athletic Association of the Philippines for the league’s volleyball tournament starting this season.
Vargas replaced Atty. Wharton Chan, whose two-year term as POC caretaker/representative already expired.
