MANILA — Alas Pilipinas Women’s captain Jia de Guzman amplified calls for better athlete welfare in a “complete sense,” emphasizing development, preparation, and long-term sustainability.
The national team leader broke her silence regarding issues concerning the Alas Women's program first through a series of Instagram Stories, then by facing volleyball reporters last Saturday evening.
Reading from her prepared statement, de Guzman outlined three key issues — athlete welfare in a general sense, their need for structured and meaningful competition, as well as alignment between the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and the local women's volleyball league, particularly the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).
READ: Amid issues hounding Alas, Jia de Guzman calls for support for athletes, PH volleyball
For the eight-time PVL Best Setter, players having proper exposure to meaningful competition will improve their growth.
"[P]eople have been asking me why it took a while for me to respond or speak up or anything. I actually wanted to take a step back first and really understand everything that was being said," de Guzman noted. "I also wanted to be clear about what I stand for and what I think needs to be addressed moving forward."
"First, it’s athlete welfare in a complete sense, meaning it’s not just compensation, but development, preparation, and long-term sustainability. Second is the need for structured and meaningful competition as part of an athlete’s growth. That means it's not just the volume of games that we play, but the right kind of exposure and at the right time," de Guzman said.
"It's not just about playing the whole year. It's having a system where competition, training, and recovery, all three of those are properly balanced," she added.
De Guzman hopes to address the disconnect between the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and Alas players through sincere and constructive communication, especially regarding matters pertaining to recruitment and contracts, as the national team season approaches.
READ: PNVF eyes 'dialogue and collaboration' amid issues on nat'l team, athlete welfare
The governing body for volleyball earlier expressed its desire to sit down with the Alas players, hoping to collaborate with them.
"Right now, there are still so many questions around things like the Alas draft, the recruitment process, and how contracts are to be structured. And as athletes, those are very important details that directly affect our careers. So having clear and consistent communication is really important for us moving forward," said de Guzman.
"And I chose to speak up now even though a lot is happening because with important timelines coming up like the PVL draft, the national team season, it becomes even more important that there's clarity and alignment soon, so athletes can make informed decisions moving forward. So for me, the solution is alignment between the federation and the local leagues," she said.
EMULATING SUCCESSFUL SYSTEMS
De Guzman is pushing for alignment between the FIVB calendar and the local league season, as well as better coordination with PVL clubs to create a “win-win” volleyball ecosystem.
She noted that similar systems are already in place in successful sports nations.
READ: Alas stakeholder airs concerns over PVL Draft, calendar alignment with FIVB
"Concretely, that means aligning with the FIVB calendar so national team duties and league seasons are properly structured," said the Creamline playmaker.
"And of course, we were hoping for better coordination with all of the clubs because we want to respect them also that they're investing a lot in this business and there's a way for us to build an ecosystem, a volleyball ecosystem that is win-win for all," she added.
She emphasized that building the right system requires a full understanding of athletes’ needs in training, competition, and recovery, adding that similar structures are already being implemented in other international and local sports.
FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
De Guzman also stressed the importance of speaking up now, not just for the current roster but for future national team players.
"[R]esponsibility din naman namin to try to leave it better than when we came in. So that’s what we’re trying to do," she said.
READ: PNVF bares plan for Alas Pilipinas to select players at PVL Draft
"We’re not just speaking up for the current roster. We’re also speaking up for the other people, other players who are dreaming of playing and repping the flag. We want them to come into a better system moving forward and raise Philippine volleyball. So that's why I felt it was very important for me to speak up also."