OUT of 31 bidding nations which boiled down to a three-horse race among 2023 Fiba Basketball World Cup co-hosts Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, the world's biggest men's volleyball conclave has found a home in our shores for 2025.
In case you missed it, the Philippines will host and compete in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship for the very first time in September next year.
This also marks the first time hosting rights were awarded to just one country since the 2014 edition of the global meet in Poland. The last two world championships were co-hosted by two nations: Italy and Bulgaria in 2018 and Poland and Slovenia in 2022.
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Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Ramon 'Tats' Suzara, who led the Philippine contingent upon being awarded hosting rights to the global showpiece in Switzerland last month, boasted what he ruled to be the country's biggest edge in a stacked field of bidding nations: the Filipino sporting fanbase.
"I think the very reason we won the bid out of 31 countries, and it boiled down to Japan and Indonesia as the last three competing bids, was the success of the Filipino fans for the last two years sa MOA (Arena) and Araneta (Coliseum in the Volleyball Nations League). Doon [na-encourage] 'yung FIVB na iba 'yung fans ng Philippines.
"You see (teams from) Japan, which is very popular here, and Poland, then this time USA is coming in the VNL. Iba 'yung Filipino fans. Si Boss MVP (Manny Pangilinan), nagugulat siya sa fans sa volleyball dahil nagpapa-picture, nagpapa-selfie, lahat, pa-autograph. I think is one important aspect why we won the bid and why (the FIVB) really selected the Philippines," said Suzara.
The Philippines' greatest resource
Heading the Local Organizing Committee for next year's World Championship is longtime sports patron and senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who expressed his belief that the Filipino people will be at the core of what he hopes to be another successful hosting of a global sporting event in the country.
"Ang pag-asa natin sa successful hosting will be two elements: One, faith and action, faith in God, and number two, action as a community. I’m reminded how beautiful our country is and how our number one resource is underutilized. Our number one resource are the Filipinos and Filipinas, the men and women of the Philippines."
Cayetano added: "As one of the fastest-growing sectors in tourism generating 800 billion dollars worldwide, sports can have a positive impact on the country’s economy. We are still known in the whole world to be the most hospitable people. I’m talking about how we as a people, welcome the rest of the world."
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