Alas Pilipinas captain Jia De Guzman got candid about how far the Philippines has to go in order to catch up with their fellow Asian teams in women’s volleyball.
They’re on the way up, but Alas Pilipinas still have a ways to go in order to establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in Asia.
For Alas skipper Jia De Guzman, they have a lot of catching up to do in all angles, especially since the Philippines stalled in its growth in the last two decades that significantly affected the national team’s development.
Now that the Alas program is finally getting on a groove and finding continuity, De Guzman believes there is a lot of ground to make up for, especially after showing their potential in the AVC Nations Cup.
“It’s everything, honestly. It’s everything that we could’ve had if we were continuously joining international tournaments and exposed to that kind of level of volleyball,” De Guzman said of what needs to improve for the Philippines to be more competitive against powerhouse teams like Vietnam and Thailand.
“Because if I remember correctly, we didn’t join any international tournaments for a decade bago nag-restart yung volleyball program ng Pilipinas so that’s a decade of other countries evolving in the sport and us lagging behind. So if we were there, things would’ve been different now,” she added.
The Philippines hit a snag and were on hiatus after the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, only competing anew at the turn of the decade. The national team only returned to the Asian Championships in 2013, and then playing again in the SEA Games in 2015.
But De Guzman isn’t one to harp on past mistakes.
Looking ahead, she said that the team just needs to stick to what the system is at the moment, and that there are no doubts that Alas Pilipinas can eventually catch up to the rest of the region.
“But since past is past, what do we do now di ba, moving forward? We keep sticking to the program because if we do, I have no doubts that one day we will reach that level also. Hindi naman ibig sabihin na nauuna sila, hindi sila mahahabol,” she said, speaking at the Philippine Sportswriters Association.
It will be pertinent for Alas Pilipinas to keep pushing, as the team has hit some significant strides in recent years — including back-to-back podium finishes at the AVC Nations Cup.
With foes also taking notice of their improvement, De Guzman said that there shouldn’t be any stopping for the Philippines.
[READ: Alas Women urged to ‘trust the process’ as expectations mount for elusive SEA Games podium]
“They recognize that the Philippines is growing. And we have to take advantage of that pa kasi the fact that they say that, we are starting to become a threat. That means also that we have to continue what we’re doing right now. We cannot stop talaga,” De Guzman stressed.
“Kasi we see the growth, of not just the girls in the team, we see the growth of a full country’s program and magl-link yan isa isa eh. From grassroots pataas, the girls, or the athletes sa baba, will have something to fight for, to play at the national team in the future,” she added.
For De Guzman, it isn’t rocket science. But rather, the Philippines is simply following in the footsteps of all the other successful programs in women’s volleyball.
“That’s something that other countries have had over us for years, for decades, and hopefully, maabot din natin yun. So Thailand, Vietnam, even Indonesia, aabutin natin yun as long as we stick to what we’re doing now,” she said.
Right now, Alas Pilipinas will be riding the momentum of their silver medal finish at the AVC Nations Cup as they prepare for the upcoming VTV Cup in Vietnam at the end of the month.
They are also slated to compete at the SEA V.League later this year and the SEA Games.