Alas Pilipinas Women at the AVC Nations Cup 2025. AVC file photo
MANILA – Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) President Tonyboy Liao does not want Alas Pilipinas and new head coach Tai Bundit to be weighed down by expectations in the 2026 AVC Women's Volleyball Cup.
Alas will return to action in the continental tournament that will be hosted by the Philippines in June.
The national team is coming off a silver medal finish in the 2025 edition of the competition, but this time will be backed by the home crowd.
For Liao, he wants the team to focus on doing their best to represent the country.
READ: Volleyball: Pool composition for AVC Women's Cup finalized; PH in Pool A
"I don't want to maybe say na we will copy what was garnered the last time. So ang amin is, we'll play, and let's see from then kung anong magiging resulta ng ating games," Liao told reporters after the official draw ceremony in Diamond Hotel Manila on Friday.
Host Philippines is in Pool A with Chinese Taipei, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Australia and Uzbekistan for the competition. Liao is optimistic of the country's chances, but admits it will not be easy to replicate the 2025 silver medal finish.
"If you look at it, kahit saan ka mapunta, Pool A or Pool B, parang mabigat. Looking at it, parang the four teams are really, like in our pool, we have Korea and Chinese Taipei, and then Australia. The other side naman, you have Vietnam, Indonesia, Kazakhstan," he said.
"So these are really countries na malalakas din ang women's team. Pero siyempre, yung atin naman Alas Women's Team, we always prepare for these kind of events. So hopefully, pagdating ng tournament sa Candon, this coming June, maganda na maging preparation," Liao added.
The PNVF chief said they have sent out invitations to players from Premier Volleyball League (PVL) teams and universities.
The national team will begin training next week after they get responses from club teams and universities.
Liao said Bundit personally chose the players to be invited for the training pool.
The PNVF chief reminded the Alas Women coach to take things one step at a time, not putting too much focus on the silver medal finish from last year.
"Coach Tai [Bundit] is sabihin natin he hates losing, as you know. So talagang ang preparation niya will be especially ngayon, ang tinitingnan kasi niya na past performance was silver. So parang challenge na kagad siya. Sabi ko, huwag muna iisipin yan. Bunuin muna natin yung team at saka tayo mag-training ng mga ano," he said.
The 2026 AVC Women's Volleyball Cup will run from June 6 to 14 in Candon City, Ilocos Sur.