Philippine volleyball received a major boost on Monday after both Alas Pilipinas Men and Alas Pilipinas Women officially secured berths in the indoor volleyball competition of the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya‑Aichi this September.
The qualification marks the country’s return to the Asian Games volleyball tournament in both divisions, with the national teams earning their places through their respective Asian rankings.
“This is great news for our volleyball program,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino after receiving confirmation from the Asian Volleyball Confederation over the weekend.
Tough Competition Awaits Alas Pilipinas
Alas Pilipinas Women qualified as the No. 10‑ranked team in Asia based on the latest FIVB rankings, while the men’s squad secured its spot as the continent’s No. 15 team.
The indoor volleyball competitions will feature 16 teams each in the men’s and women’s divisions and are scheduled from September 27 to October 3 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
For the men, the Philippines will compete against regional powerhouses Japan, Iran, China, South Korea, Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan, Thailand, Indonesia, Chinese Taipei, India, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, Alas Pilipinas Women will face Japan, China, Thailand, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Iran, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Hong Kong, Mongolia, and North Korea.
Alas Pilipinas and the Local Volleyball Landscape
The qualification comes at a significant time for Philippine volleyball, following the FIVB’s suspension of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF). Despite the ongoing governance issues, the country’s national teams continue to receive support for international participation.
According to Tolentino, AVC president Tats Suzara personally confirmed the qualification of both national teams.
The Asian Games berths also complete the Philippines’ volleyball representation in Nagoya after the country’s beach volleyball teams previously secured qualification to the 12‑nation tournament.
Leading the Philippine beach volleyball campaign are reigning Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, who will spearhead the women’s challenge in Hekinan City.
With both indoor and beach volleyball programs now qualified, Philippine volleyball is set for one of its largest continental representations in recent years.
The POC is expected to send at least 700 athletes to the Asian Games, with additional qualification campaigns still ongoing in esports, modern pentathlon, and taekwondo.
