For years, Jude Garcia watched from the sidelines as opportunities to wear the Alas Pilipinas jersey for the men’s indoor team came and went.
Now that he has finally broken through, the five-time Spikers’ Turf Most Valuable Player has no intention of letting that opportunity be a one-time experience.
Fresh off completing his first tournament with the national indoor squad, Garcia made it clear that representing the Philippines will remain a priority whenever his name is called.
“Siyempre, as long as kino-call up ako sa national team po, magco-commit pa rin ako sa natio nal team kasi sobrang laking bagay, opportunity na mapabilang sa Alas, sa national team,” said the 5-foot-11 wing spiker.
“Kumbaga, hindi ko na iniisip yung future kasi talagang kung ipupunta kami dito, talagang magco-commit ako, magco-commit, basta walang club season.”
Garcia’s first campaign with Alas Pilipinas ended on a positive note after the Nationals swept Myanmar, 25-21, 28-26, 25-22, on Saturday to finish fifth in the opening leg of the 2026 SEA V.Cup at the Candon City Arena.
While the result fell short of a podium finish, it marked the beginning of a new chapter for Garcia, whose international career had previously been built almost entirely on beach volleyball.
Before earning his long-awaited indoor breakthrough, the 27-year-old had already established himself as one of the country’s most decorated beach volleyball players, collecting three Southeast Asian Games bronze medals and another podium finish in the AVC Continental Cup.
Despite receiving previous invitations to the indoor program, circumstances had always prevented him from joining—making this opportunity even more meaningful.
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“Sobrang grateful lang kasi ang laking opportunity nito para sa akin kasi yun nga ang tagal ko nang hinihintay. Ngayon lang dumating. So, talaga, hangga’t nandito ako, i-cherish ko yung moment na ibigay ko yung best every game and every practice sa game,” he said.
Garcia also showed his versatility throughout the tournament.
After spending the pool stage as an outside hitter, he shifted to opposite hitter in the victory over Myanmar and contributed eight points, proving he could be effective on either wing just as he has been for club team Criss Cross.
“Sobrang komportable na ako kasi siyempre alam naman natin ang gagawin mo lang sa opposite dedepensa ka, aatake ka, and ba-block ka lang so, siyempre sa mindset ko lang talaga pupunta sa akin yung bola, gagawin ko lang yung pinakabest ko,” he said.
With the national team having been assembled only in mid-May, Garcia believes their final-day victory provides valuable momentum as Alas Pilipinas prepares for the second leg of the SEA V.Cup in Jakarta from July 22 to 26.
“Sobrang laking motivation di lang para sa akin, para sa teammates ko din kasi lahat naman kami trinabaho namin yung game na to, trinabaho namin past games namin talaga,” he said.
“Kita naman doon yung effort ng bawat isa, so dadalhin namin ‘tong experience na ‘to sa leg 2 na sana mas magiging maganda yung resulta ng leg 2 namin.”
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