Jia De Guzman believes the 2025 SEA Games is the moment Alas Pilipinas Women have spent two years building toward as they look to finally end the country's 20-year podium drought.
The 33rd Southeast Asian Games isn’t just another tournament for Jia De Guzman and Alas Pilipinas Women.
De Guzman, one of the anchors of the program’s rise over the past year and a half, said the SEA Games had always been the goal from the moment the “Alas Pilipinas” banner was introduced in 2024.
“When the Alas program started last year, we really had the SEA Games in mind,” De Guzman said in an interview with One Sports. “Parang okay, we're going to build something for two years, kasi SEA Games is for sure coming next year.”
“From training camps, from every tournament that we decided to join, we wanted to plan things out talaga na, this is like the longer program that we're talking about.”
[ALSO READ: Bella Belen, Angel Canino lead stacked Alas Pilipinas Women roster for 33rd SEA Games]
That long-term vision fueled the team’s rapid ascent.
Each tournament, whether the AVC Challenge Cup bronze, the SEA V.League podiums, or the historic AVC Nations Cup silver, was part of a longer blueprint.
“You don't just come into a tournament hoping na mag-click lahat,” she added. “Parang, there are steps taken to get there, and SEA Games is one of our goals talaga.”
[ALSO READ: Rising aces: A timeline of Alas Pilipinas Women’s accomplishments ahead of SEA Games 2025]
A medal that has eluded the country for 20 years
With the Philippines missing out on a SEA Games podium for two decades, the urgency for this year’s campaign weighs heavily, especially for veterans like De Guzman who have long carried the program’s torch.
“We're very hungry for that SEA Games medal,” she admitted. “Every time we come into any tournament, siyempre we want to win. What kind of athlete doesn't want to win and make the most out of the situation?”
[ALSO READ: Jorge de Brito confident Alas Pilipinas Women can break SEA Games podium drought]
Through the highs of breakthrough continental wins and the lows of heartbreaking near-misses, De Guzman said the team’s experienced core remains anchored by everything they’ve gone through together.
“Kaming seniors in the team, with all of the experience that we’ve had, marami kami yung pinanguhugutan talaga ng lakas,” she said. “So yeah, the experience piles up.”
[ALSO READ: Jia de Guzman gets emotional looking back on Alas journey: ‘There were times I wanted out’]
With a stronger, deeper, and more battle-tested lineup than any the country has fielded in recent memory, the path to ending the drought is clearer than ever.
And while the challenge remains immense, De Guzman and the rest of Alas Women know that this is the moment they have been preparing for the past two years.
Alas Women open their Group A campaign against the reigning champions and host Thailand on December 11.
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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.