The Philippine women’s national volleyball team faces one of its toughest assignments in recent memory after being drawn into a daunting Group B for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Alas Pilipinas will open its campaign against two of Asia’s traditional powerhouses—defending champion China, a nine-time Asian Games gold medalist, and Kazakhstan, the runner-up in the 2024 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Nations Cup. With only the top teams advancing, the Filipinas will need to produce their best volleyball against elite opposition in what many consider the tournament’s “Group of Death.”
Despite the difficult draw, newly appointed Alas Pilipinas head coach Taka Minowa believes the challenge presents an invaluable opportunity for the national program as it continues its long-term rebuilding process.
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Rather than focusing solely on immediate results, the Japanese tactician sees the Asian Games as an important measuring stick for where the Philippines currently stands against the continent’s best teams.
“This will be a big challenge for us because we will be facing some of the tallest teams in Asia,” Minowa said during a media interaction.
“But if we think about the 2029 World Championship, this tournament is a great opportunity to see where we are, what we already do well, and what we need to improve over the next two years.”
The Philippines is hoping to build a competitive program capable of consistently challenging Asia’s top volleyball nations, and Minowa believes competing against world-class opponents is a necessary part of that process.
China remains one of the continent’s premier volleyball powers, boasting an impressive international pedigree that includes multiple Asian Games titles, Olympic medals, and World Championship success. Kazakhstan, meanwhile, has also emerged as one of Asia’s more consistent contenders after finishing runner-up in the 2024 AVC Nations Cup.
For Minowa, however, the focus is less on the reputation of the opposition and more on how his players respond to the challenge.
The Japanese coach officially took over the Alas Pilipinas women’s program earlier this year and has wasted little time immersing himself in Philippine volleyball. He is joined in the national team setup by his wife, former Alas Pilipinas standout Jaja Santiago, whose extensive experience representing the country has proven invaluable during the transition.
Alas Pilipinas Women Drawn with Defending Champions China in Pool B
Alas Pilipinas Women have been drawn into Pool B of the 20th Asian Games, where they will face defending champions
China and
Kazakhstan
The Philippine women’s national team returns to the Asian Games… pic.twitter.com/qNEynPXULY
— Volleytrails (@volleytrails) July 23, 2026
Santiago, who was the cornerstone of the Philippine squad during its last Asian Games appearance in 2018, has been helping Minowa familiarize himself with the players, the team’s culture, and the expectations surrounding the national program.
Among the athletes who competed in Jakarta eight years ago, only team captain Jia De Guzman and Dawn Catindig remain in the current national team pool. The rest of the roster has undergone a significant transformation, with a new generation of talent now taking center stage.
Leading that youthful core are reigning collegiate stars Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon, who are expected to play key roles as Alas Pilipinas continues its transition toward a younger lineup capable of competing internationally for years to come.
Minowa admitted that preparing the team has not been without challenges.
The national squad only began formal training on July 6, leaving the coaching staff with less than three weeks to prepare before the Southeast Asian Volleyball Cup (SEA V.League), which serves as an important tune-up ahead of the Asian Games.
Adding to the challenge is the condition of the players upon reporting to camp, with several athletes returning from injuries while others arrived at varying levels of fitness following their club commitments.
“We only started training on July 6, and we will compete in the SEA V.Cup at the end of this month. That gives us only about 20 days to prepare,” Minowa said.
“The players also came into training in different physical conditions. Some are returning from injuries, so our priority has been managing their health while gradually building our level as a team.”
Despite the limited preparation time, Minowa has been encouraged by the attitude shown by his players during training.
“Despite the short preparation, we are making good progress. The players are working hard, enjoying the process, and playing the sport they love,” he added.
While expectations remain tempered given the caliber of competition awaiting the Philippines in Aichi-Nagoya, Minowa believes the experience of facing Asia’s elite will be instrumental in accelerating the development of the national team.
For the Japanese mentor, success at the 2026 Asian Games will not be measured solely by wins and losses, but by the lessons learned against some of the continent’s strongest volleyball programs as Alas Pilipinas continues its journey toward becoming a consistent force in Asian volleyball.
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