SELECT PVL players will still be lent to Alas Pilipinas for the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games from December 9 to 20 in Thailand.
Uncertainty previously clouded the Philippines' lineup for the bi-annual regional meet, as the FIVB’s mandatory national team period only runs from May 16 to October 15 this year.
READ: PNVF gives Alas players go-signal to return to PVL mother clubs
Supposedly, it's only within that window in which local pro and college squads are mandated to lend players sought by the national team to represent the country in international competitions.
As such, with the SEA Games not an FIVB-sanctioned tournament, there isn't technically any obligations for any local side to allow Alas to borrow players anew.
PVL president and Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) vice president Ricky Palou, though, re-assured that the league and national team’s interests will both be met in the buildup to the regional meet.
As per Palou, PVL players are still expected to be lent to the national team even as the Reinforced Conference runs its course from October to November.
“Oo naman. Kaya yung usapan namin is [the chosen PVL players will still play in the league] until Southeast Asian [Games], until our Reinforced Conference will end, end of November,” he said.
“During the Reinforced Conference, when it's going on, the players will still practice with the national team three times a week. Tapos at the end of November, dire-diresto na sila sa national team practices.”
Four Alas players have already returned to their mother clubs in the ongoing Invitational, including Cignal’s Dawn Catindig, Chery Tiggo’s Jen Nierva, and the PLDT duo of Dell Palomata and Alleiah Malaluan.
The other PVL players on the national team are also expected to rejoin their respective teams in import-laden play this October, shortly after the country’s hosting of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship from September 12 to 28.
Meantime, it remains to be seen if La Salle, Adamson, and FEU will still lend Angel Canino, Shaina Nitura, and Cha Loresco, respectively, with the UAAP women's volleyball tournament commencing in February of next year.
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