THE Philippines reached the final of the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup in Hanoi following a hard-earned five-setter over Chinese-Taipei.
READ: Alas outlasts Chinese-Taipei, reaches first AVC final in 64 years
It was a victory that kept the country’s trajectory in the FIVB world rankings upward.
From No. 56 before the Nations Cup, Alas Pilipinas climbed 10 rungs up to No. 46 in the world rankings after that spine-tingling and finals-clinching 25-17, 25-21, 18-25, 15-25, 15-12 escape at the Dong Anh Arena.
The rise of the Filipinos was also bolstered by their wins over Mongolia, New Zealand, and Kazakhstan in the tournament where they will finally face defending champion and host Vietnam in gold medal play at 9 p.m. (Manila time) on Saturday.
“The program is working,” said Ramon 'Tats' Suzara, president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) who also heads the AVC and an executive vice president of the FIVB. “The past three years was all upward for our national program in all disciplines—volleyball and beach—thanks to the support of our stakeholders.”
When Suzara and the PNVF took over in 2021, the national women’s team was No. 156 in the 222-nation FIVB, but made a meteoric accent 90 rungs up to No. 66 in 2023.
Then last year, the Philippines jumped to No. 58, highlighted by a bronze medal finish in the same Nations Cup at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Job's not yet done for Alas
The country’s ranking could even go higher if Alas hurdles Vietnam in the final and Bella Belen—who led the team against the Taiwanese with a triple-double 14 points, 19 receptions, and 16 digs—knows how tough the regional powerhouse will be, as the Filipinos try to end a 64-year gold medal in a continental-level tournament.
“I’m really happy because we were able to win this game, not just for us, but for the Philippines,” Belen said.
“No words can explain how much we wanted this game and we’re going to prepare hard for us because it’s in Vietnam.”
Brazilian head coach Jorge Souza de Brito, who’s been on top of the women’s program the past three years, said beating the Taiwanese was a gem of a win.
“We knew that semifinals are always hard and they [Taiwanese] gave us a hard night,” he said.
“But we also knew that we just have once chance to get to the final, so I’m proud and very thankful for the girls.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
