Alyssa Valdez joins Alas Pilipinas training ahead of AVC tilt

Alyssa Valdez smiles during a game against Cignal in the PVL All-Filipino Conference.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Alyssa Valdez has started training with the Alas Pilipinas women’s volleyball pool ahead of the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Cup from June 6 to 14 in Candon City.

Valdez, who last played for the national team in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games as captain and flag bearer, got a call-up again from the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF).

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PNVF president Tonyboy Liao confirmed Valdez’s participation in the training.

“Alyssa Valdez will always be Alyssa, her love for Volleyball has been there, whether playing for her university, club team, and country,” Liao said.  “She’s so happy that now she’ll be playing with young players who have been looking up to her.”

But the three-time PVL MVP from Creamline will have to wait for her reunion with Tai Bundit, who will be out for three months due to an accident in Bangkok. Valdez and Bundit led Ateneo to two UAAP championships and won the Cool Smashers’ first three of 11 titles.

Ex-Cignal coach Shaq Delos Santos will be Alas’ interim coach, calling the shots for the national team since the 2018 Asian Games and 2019 SEA Games.

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Sources told Inquirer that former national team Ces Molina and rising star Trisha Tubu and Creamline libero Kyla Atienza also started training with the national team, including Far Eastern University’s trio Tin Ubaldo, Jaz Ellarina, and lone Alas holdover Cla Loresco, University of the Philippines middle blocker Niña Ytang, Adamson’s Lhouriz Tuddao, and Letran’s Lara Mae Silva and Natalie Estreller.

Another source reported that Myla Pablo and Jules Tolentino are asking Nxled for permission after receiving invitations, while Alas Pilipinas awaits the decision of Jovelyn Gonzaga, Erika Santos, and National University players.

The Philippines is slated in Pool A with Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Australia, and Uzbekistan. Defending champion Vietnam headlines Pool B with Kazakhstan, Iran, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Lebanon.

In the past two AVC Women’s Cups, Alas earned a breakthrough bronze medal in 2024 at Rizal Memorial Coliseum, then reached the championship last year before falling to the host and defending champion Vietnam.