Members of the Alas Pilipinas national volleyball team were awarded incentives totaling P4.6 million for their impressive semifinals finish in the 2024 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup for Women held recently at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum last May.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, personally handed out the checks to the 14 players, Brazilian head coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito, and the six-member coaching staff.
Alas Pilipinas swept its four-game pool A assignments against Australia, India, Iran, and Chinese Taipei despite short preparation time. The Pinay hitters’ commendable performance brought them to the semifinals.
However, on May 28, Kazakhstan’s strong defensive plays at the front thwarted Alas Pilipinas’ key players, resulting in a 25-23, 25-21, 25-13 defeat.
During a brief ceremony held on Wednesday evening at the Philippine Sports Commission offices inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz, Manila, Go distributed checks worth P200,000 each to the players, de Brito, and the assistant coaches. The event was attended by PSC commissioner Bong Coo, executive director Paulo Tatad, and action star Philip Salvador, who supports Go’s initiatives.
“Sabi ko sa kanila, ang importante ay manalo. Itong financial assistance sa PSC, kahit papaano ay makatulong sa kanila,” said Go.
Alas Pilipinas is now gearing up for the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Challenger Cup, which the country will host from July 4 to 7 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Coach de Brito emphasized that the team works diligently to improve their performance for the upcoming tournament. Over the past two weeks, the team has intensified their preparations.
In a recent exhibition match held in South Korea to celebrate the Philippines’ Independence Day, Alas Pilipinas stood their ground but fell to Powerful Daegu with scores of 26-24, 23-25, 23-25, 25-16, 8-15.
Team captain Jia Morado-de Guzman expressed the team’s commitment to working harder for their next games, especially their first match against Vietnam.
“Alam po namin that they’re fighting for a spot in the VNL. We know our team is young. So, all we can ask the girls is to do, and give their best,” remarked Morado-de Guzman.
With their spirits high and their determination unwavering, Alas Pilipinas is set to make their mark in the upcoming FIVB Volleyball Women’s Challenger Cup.