GILAS Pilipinas held a tune-up game with little fanfare on Saturday at the San Miguel Corp. headquarters in Pasig City.
The Nationals played the Magnolia Chicken Timplados in a gym that serves as the training facility of PBA teams under the San Miguel Corp. umbrella. According to a source, Gilas won handily in a low-scoring affair.
Outside of the tune-up game at the SMC gym, Gilas has been practicing at the Mall of Asia Arena to take full advantage of playing at home.
Gilas has been practicing since Friday at MOA where Quentin Millora-Brown also showed up for the first time since he returned to the team after he initially declining participation in Window 2.
Gilas coach Tim Cone is said to be satisfied with how practices have been going now that the team is complete in the final build-up for their two games against New Zealand on February 26 and Australia on March 1. - Reuben Terrado
Alas participation in Candon assured
ALAS Pilipinas Women’s participation in the country’s hosting of the 2026 AVC Women’s Cup in Candon City this June will not be affected, even as uncertainty remains over which group will manage the tournament.
For now, that remains the status quo as the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) try to work around their political differences to reach a common ground on the staging of the event.
For now, PNVF president Tony Boy Liao assured that the host nation will field a team for the Ilocano crowd regardless of which governing body ultimately stages the competition.
“Meron. Tayo ang host eh. Hindi naman pwedeng wala [tayong team],” Liao told SPIN.ph in a phone interview.
A Sources Say item last Monday revealed that the PNVF may not hold the reins of the upcoming tournament, with the AVC, the regional federation led by ousted PNVF chief Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara, set to take charge of the hosting with support from the Philippine Sports Commission.
Liao, however, has challenged alleged procedural lapses in the formation of the Local Organizing Committee, elevating the matter to the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) in an effort reach a resolution.
The PNVF is set to hold a press conference on Tuesday to address the issues surrounding the hosting of the regional meet. - John Mark Garcia
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