By MARK REY MONTEJO
Rising stars Bella Belen and Angel Canino are set to don the tricolors anew as they banner the Alas Pilipinas that will see action in the first leg of the 2025 Southeast Asia (SEA) Women’s V.League in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand starting Friday, Aug. 1.
In an official release by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), Belen and Canino headline the returnees in the 16-player team that also include Shai Nitura and Cla Loresco in the regional tiff.
“This official roster will represent the country in the first leg of the tournament happening in Thailand, where they’ll face top teams from Southeast Asia,” Volleyball Philippines wrote.
“Let’s rally behind our national team as they bring pride to the country once again! Laban, Alas! Laban, Pilipinas!”
The four players were part of the silver-medal finish of the Philippines in the AVC Nations Cup – the highest finish by the Filipina hitters in an AVC-sanctioned meet in more than six decades of the continental body – in Hanoi, Vietnam last June.
There, the 22-year-old Canino shone the brightest in a stack of young guns after being feted as one of the Best Outside Hitters alongside Trần Thị Thanh Thúy, who steered Vietnam past the Philippines in the finale.
As expected, veterans Jia De Guzman and Dawn Catindig were also retained to provide leadership to the Jorge de Brito-mentored squad as well as the likes of Dell Palomata, Maddie Madayag, Eya Laure, and Vanie Gandler.
Alyssa Solomon, Fifi Sharma, Thea Gagate, Mars Alba, Leila Cruz, and Justine Nazareno completed the lineup that this time will be missing the service of three Fil-American arsenals in two-time PVL MVP Brooke Van Sickle, MJ Phillips, and Tia Andaya due to FIVB requirements.
The talented trio’s papers are still in process and hopefully to be completed just in time for December’s Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. Though, they had already experienced being members of Alas in the VTV International Volleyball Cup – a non-FIVB tournament – earlier this month.
Serving as a springboard for the SEA Games, the Philippines hopes to gain more confidence as powerhouse teams like Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia are also taking part in the two-leg event.
Meanwhile, the second part is slated in Vietnam on Aug. 8-10.
