Alyssa Valdez remains proud of what Alas Pilipinas achieved in the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup despite falling way short of a podium finish.
Amid the challenges facing the national programme, the veteran captain praised those who stepped up to represent the country and urged the younger members of the squad to carry the lessons of the tournament forward.
“One thing that we wanna, something that we’re proud of is to actually represent the country,” said Valdez. “Despite all the things that’s happening everywhere, despite the noise, and we’re just very, very happy.”
The Philippines’ bid for a semifinal spot ended after a straight-sets loss to Chinese Taipei, dropping Alas Pilipinas into the classification phase. The result marked a step back from recent campaigns, with the team having won bronze in 2024 and silver in 2025.
Alas Pilipinas Faced Considerable Challenges
This year’s squad, however, was assembled under very different circumstances. With several core players unavailable, the team relied on a mix of veteran PVL standouts and emerging collegiate stars, all with limited preparation time before facing Asia’s top national sides.
Despite the outcome, Valdez believes the experience gained will be invaluable. “Tama si coach Shaq talaga, we really need preparation and most especially, medyo veteran na rin ‘yung mga nakakalaban namin dito,” said the three-time PVL MVP. “And kami as veteran din, pero siyempre kailangan din ng quality time together as a team.”
She added that the tournament exposed areas that still need improvement, particularly in chemistry, communication, and cohesion. “Kakaiba din talaga yung pressure sa mga ganito, and sobrang saya nga, sarap din sa pakiramdam na makaramdam ulit ng ganitong pressure. Pero kailangan namin talagang pagtrabahuhan pa.”
Reasons for Optimism
Valdez remains optimistic about the future, especially with a promising group of younger players gaining valuable international exposure. Among those who saw significant minutes were Niña Ytang, Thea Gagate, Cla Loresco, Tin Ubaldo, and other emerging talents.
“So, madami pang maabot yung mga bata dito, so hopefully magandang experience ‘to para sa kanila,” she said. “Most especially, we’re looking forward and we’re hopeful na yung mga bata talaga magpatuloy na maglaro para sa bayan.”
Alas Pilipinas wound up at eighth place—their worst finish ever—after losing to Iran in straights sets, 25-21, 25-12, 25-21.
