After being a reserve player for the Philippine women’s national football team in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Bella Pasion now steps into a leadership role with the Filipinas.
Bella Pasion finds herself in a unique position for the Philippine women’s national football team as the Filipinas gear up for their title defense at the MSIG Serenity Cup in Vietnam.
After being a reserve player for then-head coach Alen Stajcic in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Pasion is now considered among the more “veteran” players in the current roster with most of the mainstays unavailable due to the tournament being outside of a FIFA window.
Despite being younger than her other teammates, Pasion has been with the team longer than most of the 23-woman squad named by head coach Mark Torcaso on Saturday.
[READ: Filipinas target MSIG Serenity Cup title defense with youthful squad in Vietnam]
With a mix of youth and veteran experience for Pasion, she said that it is a welcome development for herself to get a bigger role for the Filipinas this time around.
“I think I’m gonna take it as an opportunity to lead even though I am one of the younger people, just seeing a lot of new faces, I guess it does put me in this position. But I’m excited to take on the role and I’m excited to see what it brings for me,” she said.
Pasion currently plays for PFF Women’s League side Stallion Laguna, where she has seen tremendous growth in her individual skills.
She is also coming off of a stellar performance for the Filipinas in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers last month in Cambodia, where she proved her mettle in a Filipinas squad that featured other World Cup players.
Slowly but surely coming into her own, Pasion hopes to make the most of the new opportunity to take the next step with the Filipinas.
“Personally, I’m proud of my growth with the team. I think I’m able to help where I can," Pasion said.
"I think for me, to know my role, where I play for the team, has been really helpful for me and I think the coaching staff has been a huge support system and along with my sisters on the team, I couldn’t be doing it without them,” she added.
Pasion joins a core of holdovers from the 2022 squad that won the championship in Manila, namely Hali Long, Olivia McDaniel, Inna Palacios, Kaya Hawkinson, Quinley Quezada, and Malea Cesar.
The Filipinas plunge into action on Thursday, August 7, against Timor Leste. They also face Australia U-23 and Myanmar in the group phase.