For Adrian Villados, wearing the Alas Pilipinas jersey again meant more than simply returning to the national team—it was proof that patience, hard work, and steady growth can earn another opportunity on the international stage.
Three years after making his debut for the Philippine men’s volleyball team in the 2023 Asian Games, the playmaker has returned as a more accomplished setter, bringing with him valuable championship experience and a greater understanding of what it takes to compete against Southeast Asia’s best.
The Criss Cross floor general capped his comeback campaign by helping the Philippines finish fifth in the opening leg of the 2026 SEA V Cup in Candon City, a result that also served as another step in his development under Italian head coach Angiolino Frigoni.
“I’m really happy. This is a huge experience for me,” Villados said in Filipino after the tournament.
“Playing alongside both the younger guys and the veterans was a huge experience for us. Competing in the SEA V Cup is something we’ll definitely carry with us into our next games,” he added.
Villados returned to the national team carrying far more confidence than when he first represented the country.
Since his first stint with Alas Pilipinas, the former Arellano University standout has established himself as one of the country’s top setters, winning two Spikers’ Turf championships, collecting two Best Setter awards, and capturing Invitational Finals MVP honors with Criss Cross.
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Those accomplishments, he believes, have prepared him for another opportunity to wear the Philippine colors.
“I just tried to use the confidence I gained from winning the Finals MVP to help me play well here. At the same time, no matter what happens, we always stick to Coach Frigoni’s system,” said Villados.
“Coach Frigoni always tells us that as long as we stick to his system, we’ll give our best against any team we face and we’ll be able to compete with them.”
Villados also considers his journey through different coaching philosophies as another advantage, having previously played under Brazilian mentor Sergio Veloso before now adapting to Frigoni’s structured system.
While the opening leg ended without a semifinal appearance, the experience gave the team a clearer picture of the level they need to reach moving forward.
That challenge only becomes tougher in Leg 2 in Jakarta, where the Philippines will once again battle defending champion Cambodia and host Indonesia in a stacked pool with a semifinal berth on the line.
Despite the difficult road ahead, Villados believes the team is beginning to find its identity and is confident the lessons learned from Candon will translate into a better showing.
“We know we still have a lot to improve and there’s so much more we can do. But little by little, we’re starting to understand Coach Frigoni’s system. We’ll keep working hard and do even better in the next leg,” said Villados.
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