When the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) unveiled the “Alas Pilipinas” program in 2024, it signaled a new era for the women’s national volleyball team.
In just over a year, Alas Women have transformed into a legitimate regional contender, bringing home multiple medals since the rebrand and establishment of a working and sustainable program.
May 2024 – New name, new chapter
The PNVF officially introduced the Alas Pilipinas brand for both the women’s and men’s national volleyball teams on May 15 2024.
The name “Alas” embodied confidence and national pride, which signified a unified identity aimed at redefining the Philippines’ presence in the international volleyball scene.
[ALSO READ: Alas Pilipinas | Philippine national volleyball team announces new moniker]
After an up-and-down start to his national team stint, Brazilian head coach Jorge De Brito was finally given a set pool at his disposal.
2024 AVC Women’s Challenge Cup – Historic bronze
The tournament that started it all.
Alas Women delivered a historic performance in front of a home crowd, capturing the bronze medal at the AVC Challenge Cup in their first tournament under the new banner.
This marked the country’s first podium finish in an AVC-sanctioned tournament in more than six decades.
Team captain and setter Jia De Guzman orchestrated the offense with her trademark precision and calm, earning praise for her leadership throughout the competition.
Rising star Angel Canino was a revelation in her first major international outing, powering through defenses as the team’s top scorer and clinching the Best Opposite Spiker award.
For a team that had less than a week of preparation, it was a step in the right direction for the Philippines in international play.
2024 SEA V.League – Building consistency
Riding the momentum of their continental breakthrough, Alas Women carried their form into the 2024 SEA Women’s V.League.
Competing against Southeast Asia’s top squads, the national team earned back-to-back bronze medals across two legs of the tournament after beating Indonesia.
In Leg 1, De Guzman took home the Best Setter award, while Thea Gagate bagged the Best Middle Blocker plum.
[ALSO READ: Finest Aces: Jia De Guzman, Thea Gagate bag individual awards in Alas Pilipinas’ historic bronze medal finish in SEA V.League Leg 1]
This stretch underscored the program’s growing consistency.
New additions like Alyssa Solomon and Dell Palomata also made their mark within De Brito’s system, providing additional firepower to a budding squad.
2025 AVC Nations Cup – Silver in Hanoi
Of course, the current defining moment of the Alas Pilipinas program arrived in June 2025 at the AVC Women’s Nations Cup in Hanoi, Vietnam.
After a series of impressive wins, the Filipina spikers stormed into the Finals and secured a historic silver medal, their highest-ever finish in a continental competition.
De Guzman once again anchored the playmaking with a blend of control and composure, ranking among the top three setters in the entire tournament.
Angel Canino cemented her place as the program’s scoring engine, finishing among the AVC leaders in points, attacks, and service aces.
Eya Laure rose to the occasion in the breakthrough semifinals victory against Chinese Taipei, scoring six of her nine points in the winner-take-all fifth set.
[ALSO READ: Jia de Guzman proud of Alas Pilipinas surpassing 'test of character’ in AVC Nations Cup semis]
More importantly, the campaign emphasized the fact that Alas Women are here to stay and will be ready to play for the win.
2025 SEA V.League – Sustaining success
Just weeks after their Nations Cup triumph, Alas returned to the regional stage and claimed bronze medals in both the first and second legs of the 2025 SEA Women’s V.League, held in Thailand and Vietnam.
With Canino, Belen, and Palomata anchoring the core and newcomers seamlessly integrating into the system, the team displayed depth and durability.
There, Justine Jazareno also made her mark after taking home the Best Libero award during the second leg.
[ALSO READ: Justine Jazareno gets added motivation after Best Libero plum in SEA V.League Leg 2]
More than the individual accolades, the national team was improving greatly against regional powerhouses, finding ways to take sets against Thailand and Vietnam.
What’s next for Alas Women?
Of course, all eyes now turn towards the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
Two decades have passed since the Philippines last tasted a SEA Games podium finish — and 33 years since a golden moment.
With arguably its strongest lineup yet and leadership already in place, Alas Women are hungry and determined to raise the country’s flag higher than ever before.
The biennial meet is scheduled to take place from December 10 to 19 at the Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.