THE Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) laid its cards on the table in what could become a defining meeting for the future of Alas Pilipinas Women.
Invited by the federation for a dialogue with officials, several of the country’s volleyball talents arrived at the meeting venue on Wednesday carrying different intentions and questions about what committing to the national team truly entails moving forward.
READ: UAAP stars lead Alas roster as mainstays pass on AVC Women's Cup
By lunch time, eight players from both the collegiate and professional ranks had already arrived, representing a blend of veteran talent and rising stars being eyed for the Alas Women pool.
Roughly an hour later, PNVF president Tony Boy Liao personally addressed the players, whose names were requested to be withheld for the meantime, pending their formal commitments to the national team program.
The session began with Liao asking each attendee their reason for showing up.
Some expressed a desire to help the national team, while others mainly sought clarity on how national team duties would coexist with their obligations to their respective mother clubs.
Two more players eventually joined the meeting later on, while another already conveyed her willingness to participate despite being unable to attend due to a prior commitment.
From there, the federation laid out the reality of what lies ahead for Alas Women.
Among the first major updates relayed to the players was the prolonged absence of newly-appointed head coach Tai Bundit, who remains sidelined after suffering an ankle injury in an accident in Thailand that required surgery.
The players were also introduced to the coaching staff expected to steer Alas Women through the transition period while Bundit continues his recovery, led by eight-time PVL champion coach Sherwin Meneses, former national team mentor Shaq delos Santos, Adamson high school champion tactician JP Yude and longtime La Salle statistics coach Benson Bocboc, all of whom were present.
The federation then detailed the national team calendar leading up to the 2026 AVC Women’s Cup in Candon City from June 6 to 14, followed shortly by the two legs of the 6th SEA V.League in Vietnam and Thailand in July.
That buildup includes multiple training camps in Candon and even a possible overseas camp in Chinese Taipei ahead of the SEA V.League.
Once the discussion floor opened up, much of the players’ queries revolved around the scheduling overlap between the PVL calendar and the national team window stretching from May to October.
Liao and Ricky Palou, incumbent PNVF treasurer and PVL president, explained that mother clubs still retain the discretion on whether to lend players to Alas Pilipinas.
In cases where teams allow their players to join the national team, the PNVF assured attendees that the federation would shoulder the salaries and allowances of those selected to the pool.
Players entering the 2026 PVL Draft were likewise told they could negotiate with prospective club teams should they prefer prioritizing national team duties.
The federation also gave clarifications regarding the imminent overlap with the 2026 PVL on Tour this July, describing the event primarily as a promotional tournament and non-championship competition where clubs could maximize their second-string units while national team players remain in Alas camp.
To further reassure attendees, the PNVF said formal contracts would be provided to national team members, including provisions involving allowances, medical coverage in times of injuries and general player protection.
Liao also emphasized the federation’s long-term vision of finally ending the women’s volleyball program’s medal drought in the SEA Games, which would already stretch to 22 years by the time the 34th edition takes place in Malaysia next year.
Later in the meeting, officials even floated the prospect of increased player allowances, a notable increase from what Alas Women players and coaches received last year through a different sponsoring entity.
The PNVF likewise assured the attendees that compensation packages for national team members would be competitive, if not better, than what some players could initially receive as PVL rookies.
As the meeting drew to a close, Liao presented perhaps the most enticing gist of the pitch dangling before the players: the opportunity to represent the country in the 2029 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship on home soil.
Lliao described the event as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one that could cement a player’s legacy beyond her playing years.
Those who remain part of the Alas program by then, officials said, would automatically put themselves in contention for a historic World Championship roster spot.
By the end of the roughly 30-minute session, optimism noticeably filled the room as PNVF officials took turns presenting the possibilities that come with committing to Alas Pilipinas, including an impassioned message from PNVF secretary-general Otie Camangian.
Still, no player publicly addressed the media afterward, all opting to take time and thoroughly weigh in on what could become one of the biggest career decisions of their lives.
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