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Tag: 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup

  • Jia De Guzman, Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon among key Alas Pilipinas stars to skip AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup 

    Jia De Guzman, Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon among key Alas Pilipinas stars to skip AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup 

    Just weeks before the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup in Candon City, Alas Pilipinas is suddenly facing a different kind of battle — not against another country, but against time and player availability.

     

    What was initially expected to be a continuation of the national team program following the Southeast Asian Games has instead turned into a major rebuilding process after several key members of the previous Alas core declined invitations to return.

     

    Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Anthony Liao confirmed that many of the players from the SEA Games squad, including longtime team captain Jia De Guzman, have already informed the federation that they will not be joining the upcoming AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup set for June 6 to 14 in Candon City.

     

    “The old Alas. We invited them, maybe they’re not available, or they’re not willing to play. They said no, eh. They said they are not interested in playing anymore, so wala na,” said Liao.

     

    “Yung naglaro ng SEA Games, we invited all of them, they said they will not play anymore,” he added.

     

    The withdrawals have left the national team program scrambling for answers less than a month before hosting one of the biggest women’s volleyball tournaments in the region.

     

    Aside from De Guzman, Liao revealed that Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, and Maddie Madayag have also opted to skip national team duties this time around.

     

    “Jia already replied to Ricky Palou. She’s not playing. Same with Maddie, kasi ang kumo-contact si Taj eh, ‘yung team manager. Ini-inform lang niya ako kung sinong umoo, sinong humindi. Even Belen, nag-no. Solomon daw next year na lang,” he said.

     

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    The uncertainty does not end there.

     

    Other members of the SEA Games squad — including Eya Laure, Vanie Gandler, Mars Alba, and Alleiah Malaluan — have yet to fully commit as the federation continues to piece together a workable pool.

     

    At the same time, some players willing to join are now dealing with physical setbacks.

     

    Rising star Shaina Nitura reportedly wanted to suit up for Alas Pilipinas but was forced to beg off because of an undisclosed injury, while Justine Jazareno has expressed interest in joining though no formal commitment has been finalized.

     

    “Nitura naman, injured pero gustong maglaro. ‘Yung Akari, Alba, Sharma, Jazareno, walang reply. Pero I was able to talk to Jazareno sa Candon nung All-Star, she’s willing to play,” Liao shared.

    With the original core slowly thinning out, the federation is now shifting its attention toward younger and available reinforcements.

     

    Liao disclosed that discussions are ongoing with De La Salle University regarding the possible participation of reigning UAAP champions Angel Canino, Shevana Laput, and Amie Provido.

     

    “Definitely, we will be adding. Kasi, right now we only have 11 to 12 players, eh. So the plan really is to have a pool of 20 to 25 players. We’ll talk with the coaches and Coach Tai,” Liao said.

    The timing could hardly be more challenging for the national team.

     

    Recently appointed Alas Pilipinas head coach Tai Bundit is also expected to miss the next two to three months after figuring in a car accident in Thailand, further complicating preparations for the host nation.

     

    Instead of building continuity from the SEA Games campaign, Alas Pilipinas now finds itself rushing to rebuild nearly from scratch — hoping to gather enough healthy and committed players before the AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup finally arrives.

     

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  • “We will play, let’s see”: PNVF president keeps Alas Pilipinas expectations measured ahead of AVC Cup

    “We will play, let’s see”: PNVF president keeps Alas Pilipinas expectations measured ahead of AVC Cup

    The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks amid growing concerns over athlete welfare, program structure, and its proposed draft system for the Alas Pilipinas Women.

     

    At the center of the debate is the reported draft mechanism for the national women’s program, which includes provisions requiring invited players to commit exclusively to the national team pool. The proposal has sparked discussion across the local volleyball community, with stakeholders raising questions about player autonomy, eligibility, and long-term athlete welfare.

     

    PNVF president Ramon “Tonyboy” Liao has moved to address the issue while steering attention back to competition, emphasizing that the immediate focus remains on preparation for the upcoming 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation Women’s Volleyball Cup. The continental tournament will be hosted in the Philippines in June, with Alas Pilipinas Women entering the competition following a silver-medal finish in the 2025 edition.

     

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    Liao stressed that while expectations are naturally elevated due to the team’s recent success and home-court advantage, the federation is not imposing rigid targets on the squad.

     

    “I don’t want to maybe say na we will copy what was garnered the last time. So ang amin is, we will play, and let’s see from then kung anong magiging resulta ng ating games,” Liao said in a press conference.

    The Philippines has been placed in a highly competitive Group A alongside Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Australia, and Uzbekistan. Liao acknowledged the difficulty of the draw, noting that all participating teams bring strong credentials into the tournament.

     

    “If you look at it, kahit saan ka mapunta, Pool A or Pool B, parang mabigat. Looking at it, parang the four teams are really, like in our pool, we have Korea and Chinese Taipei, and then Australia. The other side naman, you have Vietnam, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan.

     

    “So these are really countries na malalakas din ang women’s team. Pero siyempre, yung atin naman Alas Women’s Team, we always prepare for these kind of events. So hopefully, pagdating ng tournament sa Candon, this coming June, maganda na maging preparation,” he added.

     

    Liao also addressed the transition in leadership, particularly the appointment of head coach Tai Bundit following the departure of Brazilian tactician Jorge de Brito. Known for his intense coaching style and high expectations, Bundit is expected to begin shaping the team’s system in the coming training phase.

     

    “Coach Tai Bundit is sabihin nating he hates losing, as you know. So talagang ang preparation niya will be especially ngayon, ang tinitingnan kasi niya na past performance was silver. So parang challenge na kagad siya. Sabi ko, huwag muna iisipin yan. Banuin muna natin yung team at saka tayo mag-training ng mga ano,” Liao said.

     

    Despite the ongoing controversy, the PNVF has already begun assembling its training pool, sending out invitations to potential Alas Pilipinas Women prospects. The federation is awaiting confirmations from clubs and universities, with national team training expected to begin in the coming weeks.

     

    The 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup is scheduled from June 6 to 14 in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, where Alas Pilipinas Women will aim to build on their recent podium finish while navigating both heightened expectations and internal program challenges.

     

     

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