KEY ADDITIONS

Creamline stars Jema Galanza and Tots Carlos have been called to reinforce the Alas Pilipinas pool, head coach Jorge Souza de Brito announced Tuesday.

The Brazilian mentor, whose tenure as tactician of the national women’s volleyball squad has been extended until December 2025, bared his wish list of players he hopes will heed the call to don the tricolor.

Galanza and Carlos, who led the Cool Smashers in conquering the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference, are some of the big names De Brito mentioned in the expanded pool.

Although De Brito and the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) intend to retain the 14-woman pool that won the bronze medal in the 2024 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup hosted by the country last month, Alas Pilipinas is opening its doors for other talents.

The PNVF announced earlier the addition of collegiate standouts Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon of National University and Casiey Dongallo in the national pool.

“We have a setter that we want to add in the future: (Mars) Alba from Choco Mucho. (Also) Maddie (Madayag) as a middle blocker can be one. You also have (Ivy) Lacsina, (Alyssa) Solomon, (Bella) Belen, Tots (Carlos), Jema (Galanza), there are many players,” De Brito said.

De Brito is also looking to tap other young talents in College of Saint Benilde’s (CSB) winger Gayle Pascual and Far Eastern University (FEU) playmaker Tin Ubaldo.

“Even (Gayle) Pascual who played for the CSB, (Tin) Ubaldo, the setter from FEU. Some good names that you can always think about. They’re developing themselves and every time you do that, you have a chance in the national team,” he said.

“It’s important to know that if you are performing well the door is always open. It’s always been like this.”

Belen and Solomon are expected to attend Alas Pilipinas’ closed-door training on Wednesday.

The Pinay spikers are coming off a fruitful friendly match against Powerful Daegu in Daegu City, South Korea.

De Brito, who earned a well-deserved extension until the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand in December 2025 after his initial three-year contract expired last 30 June, is looking forward to former PVL Most Valuable Players Carlos and Galanza in training.

“You see, we pushed for Jema (Galanza) and Tots (Carlos) but they didn’t come, but we invited them again. Hopefully tomorrow they can join,” he said.

‘It’s important to know that if you are performing well the door is always open. It’s always been like this.’

“We’re always hoping for talented players and of course, it depends on the target we want. If it’s a short one, take the best one now. If the target is long-term, (you get) someone that you can develop. It’s a vision. It’s a kind of vision. But often, [we take] all the good ones. Always.”

Alas Pilipinas is building up for another major tournament next month as the Philippines hosts the FIVB Women’s Challenger Cup.

At stake in the competition that will run from 4 to 7 July at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium is a ticket to the 2025 Volleyball Nations League.

“The expectations right now are getting higher, but also you have to remain grounded and understand that there’s still a lot of things to do,” De Brito said.

“But you see, we have some vitamins already for winning. Also, with all the support from the fans, they are really excited to join. The guys can’t even wait for the time to start training again. Imagine, with little training (for the AVC Challenge Cup) we already did what we did. So what if we had more time to train, imagine what we can get.”