Candon city: Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman John Patrick Gregorio has told the Alas Pilipinas to just focus on their campaign at the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women's Cup in Candon City, Ilocos Sur. 'There is a time for commercial volleyball, and there is a time for the national team. When it comes to Alas, we should always be on the same side and together," Gregorio said in a news release Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the PSC and Candon City Mayor Eric Singson hosted a dinner for Alas Pilipinas at the Hotel Van Gogh II on Monday. The team had earlier won over Kyrgyzstan, 25-9, 25-11, 25-17, to improve its 2-1 win-loss record in pool play.
Gregorio assured Alas Pilipinas that the PSC remains committed to supporting athletes and that the crisis in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) should be left to the Philippine Olympic Committee and volleyball's world governing body, FIVB. 'We want all of you to just concentrate. Forget the politics of sports. Forget the politics of your federation," he said.
Alas Pilipinas is competing in a 12-nation event despite the PNVF's suspension by the FIVB, with the fallout deepening when nine PNVF board members withdrew support for federation president Tony Boy Liao. The PSC had already frozen financial support to the PNVF for alleged breach of contractual obligations, among others.
Gregorio noted that the AVC Women's Cup, presented by the PSC and the City of Candon, is a key event in a broader program highlighted by the country's hosting of the 2029 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship. 'This AVC Women's Cup is a great springboard so that we can really excel in the next two-and-a-half years,' he said.
"There is no equivalent to the national team, there is no commercial league more famous than the national team. So please, with all your heart, we trust you, we know you can do it, I'm here to motivate you . so that our plan for Philippine volleyball can come true."
Chinese Taipei and Korea sit in prime position for the semifinal spots, while Alas Pilipinas remains in the hunt as pool play continues. Defending champion Vietnam and Kazakhstan are dominating Pool B.
