The Philippine women’s national team concluded its pool stage campaign in the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Cup with a 2-3 record, capped by a 25-16, 25-14, 25-10 defeat to Chinese Taipei on Thursday that officially ended its hopes of reaching the semifinals.
Yet for Alas Pilipinas captain Alyssa Valdez, the tournament was never solely about the final standings.
With the Philippine National Volleyball Federation facing mounting scrutiny over governance concerns and several established national team players declining invitations to suit up, the federation was left to rebuild around a mix of veteran PVL standouts and young UAAP prospects.
That situation could have easily fractured the program. Instead, Valdez saw a squad that chose to embrace the challenge.
“One thing that we wanna, something that we’re proud of is to actually represent the country. Despite all the things that are happening everywhere, despite the noise,” Valdez said.
The statement reflected the mindset that has guided the retooled squad throughout the tournament. While the previous roster of Alas Pilipinas were defined by breakthrough podium finishes—a historic bronze medal in 2024 followed by a silver-medal run in 2025, the current team entered the competition carrying a different mission.
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Alas Pilipinas interim head coach Shaq delos Santos and captain Alyssa Valdez reflect on their straight-set loss at the hands of Chinese Taipei.
The Philippines is now out of semis contention, but still has another match in the classification phase. #AVCWomensCup | via… pic.twitter.com/8FecZ6hJyC
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) June 11, 2026
Many of the players who helped engineer those achievements are no longer part of the national team setup, with only Alyssa Solomon and Thea Gagate remaining from the core group that previously elevated the Philippines to its highest finishes in continental competition.
The transition has thrust a younger generation into larger roles against seasoned international opponents.
That experience gap was evident against Chinese Taipei, which controlled the match from the opening set behind the combined 27-point effort of Hsu Wan-Yu and Tsai Yan-Cheng, who scored 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Alas Pilipinas struggled to find offensive rhythm throughout the 68-minute contest, with no player reaching double figures. Solomon led the Filipinas with six points, while Ces Molina and Niña Ytang added three points apiece.
Despite the one-sided result, Valdez pointed to a larger lesson that she believes will benefit the team moving forward.
“We really need preparation and most especially veterans na din mga nakakalaban namin dito. Kami, as veterans din pero siyempre kailangan din ng quality time together as a team,” the three-time PVL MVP said.
For a roster still learning to play together at the international level, building chemistry may be just as important as the results themselves.
And while the semifinal dream ended sooner than hoped, Valdez remains convinced that the experience gained by the team’s younger members could pay dividends in the years ahead.
“Madami pang maabot ‘yung mga bata dito, so hopefully magandang experience ito para sa kanila,” she said.
As Alas Pilipinas turns its attention to future tournaments, the captain believes the foundation has already been laid—not through medals or victories, but through a group that remained committed to wearing the national colors despite the challenges surrounding the program.
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