Alas Pilipinas girls’ Caera Celis.–CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Alas Pilipinas girls chase a place in the next tier of the FIVB Volleyball Girls U17 World Championship, looking to turn their first appearance on the global stage into something more than just participation.

With two huge wins under their belt and two pool matches still to play, the Philippines has a foot in the round of 16 and will try to cement its place against World No. 6 Peru on Tuesday (Manila time) at Liceo Particular Mixto San Felipe.

The Philippines, the lowest-ranked team in Pool B at No. 25, has already shaken up the order with a 2-1 win-loss record, sitting second behind top-ranked China after historic victories over No. 8 Mexico and No. 20 Tunisia. The top four from the six-team pools advance to the Round of 16, and a straight-sets victory by the Philippines will not only seal passage into the next round but put the Alas girls in a potential top two finish in the group.

READ: Alas Pilipinas squads continue history-making ways

Team manager and assistant coach Karl Chan said what Alas Pilipinas Girls have done to this point is commendable, but the next stage is within reach and they need to seize the moment.

“The players understand what is at stake right now, what they need to do, and what our goals are,” Chan said.

“We’re not done yet. The next step is to make the Round of 16. We can’t get complacent just because we beat two top teams. We still have two more top teams to beat, so we have to keep the same focus.”

Mental performance coach Wynnette Bernardo said the players have shown little regard for the rankings, focusing instead on what they need to do.

“They’re really just focused on winning. They’re not thinking, ‘Oh this is a top 8 team’ or anything like that,” Bernardo said.

“Take Caera Celis, for example, she has this ‘I don’t care mindset’. It’s really ‘I’m just going to play my game.’”

READ: Alas girls sweep Tunisia, boost chances of advancing in U17 worlds

Celis has consistently led the team in scoring, while Xyz Rayco has slowly rediscovered her killer form and re-emerged as one of the go-to scorers in the clutch. Princess Khaira Manzano, Madele Gale and Sharina Lleses have also proven to be valuable contributors.

Alas Pilipinas winds up its pool play assignment with a match against world No. 12 Venezuela.

World No. 6 Peru is running third with five points from two wins in three matches, while Venezuela has a 1-2 record and sits in fourth at the tournament break. Mexico is in fifth, followed by Tunisia.

Assistant coach Oliver Balse expects the players’ level to rise, and he was bold enough to say he sees straight-sets wins coming.

“It’s going to get better from here. They’ve gotten acclimatized, they’ve gained confidence as well. We just need to maintain their focus and keep motivating them to do more.”

KATSEYE faced criticism following its recent performance at the Head In The Clouds festival, with some fans questioning the group’s reaction after Manon’s name was chanted by the audience. On August 8, 2026, KATSEYE headlined the music festival with a 60-minute set. The group performed as a quartet, with group leader Sophia and fellow member Manon currently on hiatus.

During the performance, group member Lara asked the audience to send their love to Sophia. While some fans appreciated the gesture, others questioned why Manon was not mentioned, given that she was also away from group activities.

The situation drew further attention later in the set Lara encouraged the audience to say, “I love you, Sophia.” Instead, sections of the crowd responded by loudly chanting Manon’s name.

The members appeared caught off guard by the reaction. Lara responded with a brief, seemingly flustered “Well…” before the performance continued without the group directly acknowledging the chants.

Clips of the moment quickly circulated on social media, prompting debate among KATSEYE fans. Some criticized the members’ reaction and described it as awkward. One fan wrote,

“mannn Im so over this group,”

Fans questioned why Manon was not given a similar shoutout, with some accusing the group of continuing to single her out. Others called on HxG to address the situation, arguing that the incident has only intensified concerns over Manon’s treatment.

Other fans also admitted that the group’s reaction to Manon’s name felt unusually uncomfortable and difficult to overlook.

KATSEYE’s Sophia Laforteza takes hiatus to prioritize mental health and well-being ahead of Wild release

KATSEYE’s Sophia Laforteza would be taking a temporary break from the group’s activities to focus on her mental health and well-being. The singer announced her hiatus on August 7, 2026, with HYBE and Geffen Records confirming that she will step away from promotional schedules for the time being. According to the agencies,

“Sophia has been [..] following thorough consultations with medical professionals, it has been advised that she take dedicated time for extended rest and ongoing care to ensure a full recovery. While Sophia herself is eager to perform alongside her members, the health, safety, and long-term well-being of our artists will always remain our highest priority.”

Her condition was expected to be reassessed in September, when the agencies plan to provide another update. Laforteza also addressed EYEKONS directly through her Instagram Stories following the announcement. She acknowledged that missing upcoming activities would be difficult, particularly because of her love for performing and spending time with fans. The KATSEYE leader explained,

“It truly breaks my heart to have to miss out on a lot. You know how much I love being on stage, performing, and sharing these moments with you. Making this decision wasn’t easy, but I’m learning that health has to come first. I’m realizing that if I don’t take care of my mind and body now, I won’t be able to keep doing what I love the most for so long.”

Laforteza then thanked the group’s fandom, EYEKONS, for their patience and support and asked them to continue supporting KATSEYE while she remains away from the group.

“Thank you for being so patient, understanding, and always showing me so much love. It means more to me than I could ever say. I promise I’m going to work as hard as I can to get through this, heal properly, and come back stronger. ‘Til then, please continue to be kind and give KATSEYE all your love and support as we fulfill our promise to show up for you in every way we can. I’ll be here as one of the EYEKONS in the meantime with y’all, See you soon” said the singer.

With Laforteza temporarily absent, KATSEYE will carry out its scheduled activities with Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel and Yoonchae Jeung. The hiatus comes just days before the release of KATSEYE’s upcoming EP, Wild, which is set to arrive on August 13.

The group is also scheduled to embark on a fall tour beginning September 1, with dates planned across the U.K., Europe, Canada and the U.S. The tour is currently scheduled to conclude in Mexico City on November 27. Laforteza’s return will depend on her recovery, with further information expected after her health is reassessed in September.