FORMER Alas Pilipinas Women head coach Jorge Souza de Brito is mulling legal action over what he claims are five tournaments worth of unpaid performance bonuses.
The 59-year-old Brazilian mentor said he has yet to receive compensation tied to incentives during his four-year tenure as women’s national volleyball team head coach under the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF).
De Brito served the program from 2021 under the previous PNVF administration led by Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara, covering the five tournaments he said carried unpaid bonuses.
‘Hindi namin problema ‘yun’
Current PNVF president Tony Boy Liao distanced the present leadership from the issue.
“Hindi namin problema ‘yun. Kay Tats [Suzara] na ‘yun,” Liao told SPIN.ph.
Liao also raised alleged contract violations by de Brito, claiming the Brazilian should not have coached a club team while handling the national squad.
De Brito refuted that claim, saying no such restriction existed in his contract.
“He has to go there and read the contract again. I have a copy,” he said, adding that nothing prevented him from coaching Akari and Capital1 in the PVL while leading the Alas Women program.
De Brito’s camp disclosed the specific provision in the Brazilian coach’s contract to back his claim. The clause wrote:
“You may be allowed to work for another employer, directly or indirectly, part-time or full-time while still engaged by the Federation.
“However, you shall not engage in, or have any share or ownership in a business or occupation which may render yourself a competitor of the Federation nor act or enter into any transaction which may, in any manner compete or help any person compete with the Federation, within the duration of your engagement, and within one (1) year after the termination of your engagement with the Federation for any reason, unless a longer period is agreed upon by the parties.”
The concurrent Capital1 head coach also stressed that a change in leadership should not absolve the federation from honoring existing agreements.
“No matter who’s handling the federation, it should still be the same even with the new administration,” de Brito said.
“I worked for the federation, for the flag, for the country. I don’t work for just persons […] Once you terminate someone, you don’t pay and you want to just finish without [settling] unpaid dues? I don’t think so.”
Former PNVF president Ramon 'Tats' Suzara made it clear, however, that both Palou and Liao were both part of the national federation and are also aware of such matters.
"Tonyboy was NT [national team] in charge and Ricky [Palou] was treasurer in the previous board. Tonyboy should be aware on all Alas activities, competitions in the past years being the chariman of the national teams," Suzara said in a message to SPIN.ph.
No answer
De Brito said repeated attempts to arrange a meeting with the PNVF have gone unanswered.
He recalled sending a letter to the federation last December following the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand, but said he has yet to receive any response.
“Instead of sitting and talking with me, they keep on attacking me. They never talked straight to me,” de Brito said.
“I think it’s unfair. They should’ve paid before, they should’ve done a lot of things before.
“I’m here since December, trying to meet them. How many times have I met with them? Zero. Why? Why are they so afraid to talk? I don’t know.”
The former Brazil Olympian said he was assured by the previous PNVF administration that all stipulations in his contract, including bonuses, would be honored.
But to this day, de Brito claimed he was being left in the dark.
“What is in the contract is in the contract. You sign to honor the contract,” he said.
The Brazilian mentor even claimed that he wouldn’t even be greeted nor acknowledged by Liao whenever they would cross paths during PVL games.
“The only one who I’ve been talking with is [PVL head] Ricky Palou, because the [PNVF] president is always avoiding to meet me, not even to say ‘hi,” de Brito said.
Visa issue raised
Liao said technically, de Brito should no longer have a working visa following the pre-termination of his Alas contract to the end of 2025, initially set to run until June 2026.
But Liao said the PNVF made an arrangement in place with Capital1 official Edwin Galvez that would allow de Brito to finish off his initial working visa for the duration of the ongoing 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference set to run until April.
“Naniningil [si de Brito] kaya sinabi namin sa Capital1 na kapag inulit niya pa, ica-cancel namin visa niya. We can always write to the PSC,” Liao said.
“We agreed [with Capital1] na tapusin muna natin ‘yung tournament basta ‘wag mangugulo coach niyo.”
By June this year, it would now be up to Capital1 on whether it would process a new working visa to allow de Brito to stay on longer as head coach.
And as the Brazilian mentor himself said, discussions with Capital1 on whether he’ll extend his contract with the team or entertain offers elsewhere are set in June.
De Brito’s camp also claimed the national federation is attempting to jeopardize his visa status because of the Brazilian coach’s push to claim his unpaid bonuses.
“The PNVF is trying to force him to give up his claim by threatening to cancel his visa or make it complicated for him to get a working visa,” de Brito’s legal representation said.
Putting pressure
De Brito’s camp vowed to take further action to press his claim for the unpaid bonuses at the soonest possible time.
“I have my attorney that is prepared to start demanding it the next week,” de Brito said. “I really don't like to go this way but I don't think they can be pressured by something else, by just writing letters. I don't know how they're gonna push through this. It's just sad.”
After his letters went unanswered and efforts for a dialogue proved futile, de Brito said they are prepared to escalate the matter if necessary.
“Coach De Brito is already requesting a sit-down, a dialogue so matters can be discussed. We are hoping that this matter can be settled amicably and without going to court/administrative bodies. Note that there are unpaid compensation, benefits, bonuses and the amount he (coach) should receive by reason of the contract (until June 30),” de Brito’s legal representation said.
“But despite numerous attempts, PNVF does not even bother to make a formal reply.”
De Brito also bared they are making efforts to reach out to the FIVB and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
“I think it’s time to go to the right venue to put these demands on the table,” he added.
“I’m still here. Respect your former Alas coach. How do you intend to offer for two years a contract for the new players if you cannot pay for the coach that’s worked for four years or pay the other players that’s still waiting for [delayed allowances].
“The national team deserves much more, The fans deserve much more. The country deserves much more. Hopefully in the future, these guys will know what the national team really means for the country.”
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