Tia Andaya called her first stint with Alas Pilipinas a "surreal experience" as she continues to fulfill national team duties before officially joining the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the PVL.
Tia Andaya finally got her long-awaited chance to don the national colors—and for her, the experience was everything she had hoped for.
Fresh off her Alas Pilipinas debut at the 2025 VTV Cup in Vietnam, Andaya described the experience as “hectic,” but ultimately fulfilling.
The Fil-Am playmaker stepped onto the court for the first time wearing the country’s colors, joining a new-look Alas Pilipinas squad that finished fourth in the tournament after a gritty run to the semifinals.
“Hectic. There's been a lot going on, but like Brooke [Van Sickle] said, I feel like I've been waiting for a while to get to play for this country, until finally getting to put on the jersey and step on the court. It was a pretty surreal experience,” Andaya said during the World Volleyball Day celebration at the Mall of Asia Arena.
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While Andaya was gaining her first taste of international volleyball, her new pro club in Choco Mucho was already in action at the PVL on Tour.
The Flying Titans currently hold a 1-1 record after a win over the Galeries Tower Highrisers and a tough loss to the Nxled Chameleons.
Due to her national team duties, Andaya has yet to officially train or play with the PVL squad that selected her 7th overall in the 2025 Rookie Draft.
Despite the physical distance, she’s been closely following the team’s progress and is eager to eventually integrate herself into the system.
“Unlike them, I haven't really experienced much training with the team yet,” Andaya admitted. “But just watching them is super fun and seeing what they can do, kind of getting familiar with it from afar, and also seeing those girls that I got drafted with play — it's super awesome to see them and to be successful.”
[ALSO READ: Tia Andaya embraces playing for PVL fan favorite Choco Mucho: ‘It’s going to be super fun’]
Andaya is expected to play a key role in Choco Mucho’s future rotation as the primary setter once she fully joins the team.
For now, she remains focused on growing through her long-awaited national team stint.
(With reports from Xander Cipriano)