JORGE Souza de Brito is keeping his head held high ahead of his imminent exit as Alas Pilipinas Women head coach.
Hours after news of his departure broke, de Brito spoke candidly in a phone interview with SPIN.ph about how his stint with the national team unfolded and how it ultimately came to an end.
READ: Alas coach De Brito served notice of termination last October yet
For one, despite receiving his termination notice as early as October, de Brito made sure it did not interfere with preparations for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, even under far-from-ideal conditions.
In his mind, the aspirations of the national team always took precedence over personal concerns about his future.
“I’m a professional. I will fight until the end like a pro and fight until the last minute, until the very end,” de Brito said.
“We cannot be selfish and just think about ourselves. There was a lot to be done, and we made sure that we focused on that [SEA Games] first.”
Even his players were aware that his days in charge were numbered. And in what now stands as his final match as head coach, the bronze-medal game loss to Indonesia in Bangkok, de Brito left his players with a heartfelt message inside a somber dugout.
“I told them I’ll always be proud of them. I know that the girls have a bright future ahead of them,” he said.
Uncertainty has hovered over the 59-year-old Brazilian’s future for some time, particularly surrounding the length of his contract. He was under the impression that his live deal would run until July 2026.
However, both outgoing and incoming Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) presidents Ramon 'Tats' Suzara and Tony Boy Liao had publicly stated over the past year that his contract was set to expire at the end of 2025.
Regardless of the rollercoaster he endured both on and off the court, de Brito harbors no ill feelings, confident that he did all he could with the cards he was dealt.
“I’m not even feeling sad right now about what’s happening. No hard feelings, of course,” he said. “But I’m also human.
“If the federation deems to replace me, that is their prerogative, provided they honor the terms and conditions of the contract.”
Still, de Brito leaves behind a legacy marked by breakthroughs that will remain etched in Philippine volleyball history.
From delivering the country’s first-ever AVC Challenge Cup bronze on home soil, to a Nations Cup silver earlier this year, along with a quartet of SEA V.League bronze medals, his impact on the program is undeniable.
And with that, he believes he can walk away proud of all he and his Nationals have done.
“There’s nothing to regret, there’s nothing to complain about. Everything I had to say, I said. Everything I had to do, I did,” de Brito said.
“Nothing can take what we did away from us, even if they try. Our names are already there [in history].”
After a brief Christmas break to rest and spend time with his family, de Brito plans to return to work with Capital1 ahead of the 2026 PVL season in late January.
“That’s the plan,” he said. “We go again.”
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