Ilocos sur: After the unique celebration of World Volleyball Day last Monday night at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, focus is now on the country's hosting of the Southeast Asian Men's V.League. Members of the Alas Pilipinas Women, their official fans club members, and officials and members of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) led by vice president Ricky Palou and secretary-general Don Caringal and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship Philippines 2025 attended the global celebration which took place in the country for the first time.
According to Philippines News Agency, the celebration impressed the FIVB leadership. PNVF Ramon 'Tats' Suzara stated, 'It was an amazing celebration by our very own PNVF and the LOC for the world championship.'
Meanwhile, the Angiolino Frigoni-coached Alas Pilipinas hopes to perform well against Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia in the Southeast Asian Men's V.League, which unfolds Wednesday at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur. Fil-Am Steve Rotter joins the Philippine team, which faced the setback of losing Bryan Bagunas to injury but previously earned two bronze medals. Key players like Kim Malabunga, Owa Retamar, Peng Taguibolos, Louie Ramirez, and Buds Buddin are back as Alas Pilipinas prepares for the world championship in September.
Alas Pilipinas had a successful run with a 3-0 record in the Alas Invitationals at the Araneta Coliseum last month but struggled in the pool play at the AVC Nations Cup in Bahrain. Thailand, the reigning champion, boasts AVC Nations Cup veterans Amornthep Khonhan, Anurak Phanram, Kissada Nilsawai, and Chaiwat Thungkham. Indonesia, last year's silver medalist, features players like Hendra Kurniawan, Farhan Halim, Doni Hayrono, and Rivan Nurmulkas, while Vietnam relies on AVC stars Van Quoc Duy, T.D. Tuyen, and Ngoc Thuan.
Cambodia enters the competition with momentum, having earned promotion by topping the 2024 SEA V. League Challenge featuring national teams from Malaysia, Laos, and Singapore. The SEA V.League offers a prize pot of USD55,000 (PHP3.15 million) and ranking points. The champions will receive USD13,000 (approximately PHP743,000), the runners-up USD12,000 (PHP686,000), and the third placers USD11,000. The fourth and fifth placers will earn USD10,000 and USD9,000, respectively.
