From Underdogs to Champions: The Meteoric Rise of Alas Pilipinas Women
It's a story of grit, determination, and national pride. In just over a year, the Alas Pilipinas Women's volleyball team has transformed from a newly rebranded program into a force to be reckoned with, capturing hearts and medals along the way. Now, they set their sights on the 2025 Southeast Asian Games, aiming to etch their names in volleyball history.
Let's rewind to May 2024, when the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) unveiled the "Alas Pilipinas" brand for both the women's and men's national teams. The name, translating to "aces" in English, was a symbol of confidence and unity, designed to redefine the Philippines' presence on the international stage. This marked the beginning of a new chapter.
Under the guidance of Brazilian head coach Jorge De Brito, the team started to take shape, and the results soon followed.
2024 AVC Women’s Challenge Cup – A Historic Bronze
This tournament was where the magic began. In their debut under the new banner, Alas Women secured a historic bronze medal at the AVC Challenge Cup, playing in front of a home crowd. This was the country's first podium finish in an AVC-sanctioned tournament in over six decades! Team captain Jia De Guzman, known for her precision, led the offense, earning accolades for her leadership. Rising star Angel Canino was a revelation, dominating defenses and winning the Best Opposite Spiker award. It was a promising start, especially considering the team had less than a week to prepare.
2024 SEA V.League – Building Consistency
Building on their continental success, Alas Women continued their momentum into the 2024 SEA Women’s V.League. Competing against the best teams in Southeast Asia, they secured back-to-back bronze medals across two legs, beating Indonesia. Jia De Guzman and Thea Gagate also took home individual awards. New additions like Alyssa Solomon and Dell Palomata added to the team's strength, showing the program's growing consistency.
2025 AVC Nations Cup – Silver in Hanoi
The 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, securing a historic silver medal – their highest finish in a continental competition! De Guzman continued to shine, ranking among the top three setters. Angel Canino was a scoring machine, and Eya Laure stepped up in the semifinals against Chinese Taipei. This campaign proved that Alas Women are here to stay and ready to compete for wins.
2025 SEA V.League – Sustaining Success
Just weeks later, Alas returned to the regional stage and claimed bronze medals in both legs of the 2025 SEA Women’s V.League, held in Thailand and Vietnam. The team displayed depth and durability, with Justine Jazareno winning the Best Libero award in the second leg. The team was improving greatly against regional powerhouses, finding ways to take sets against Thailand and Vietnam.
What's Next for Alas Women?
All eyes are now on the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. It has been two decades since the Philippines last reached the SEA Games podium, and 33 years since a golden moment. With arguably their strongest lineup and leadership in place, Alas Women are determined to make history. The games are scheduled for December 10-19 at the Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok.
What do you think? Are you excited to see Alas Pilipinas compete in the SEA Games? Will they bring home the gold? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
