CANDON CITY — Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio urged Alas Pilipinas to stay locked in on the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Cup campaign and shut out the turmoil in the national federation and set aside club loyalties.
“There is a time for commercial volleyball and there is a time for the national team. If we’re talking about Alas, we should always team up and stay together,” Gregorio said during a ceremonial dinner tendered by the PSC and Candon City Mayor on Monday at the Hotel Van Gogh II.
“The best gift you can give to yourself is to wear that Philippine team uniform. It is your gift to the nation.”
Alas Pilipinas routed Kyrgyzstan, 25-9, 25-11, 25-17, earlier on Monday to improve to 2-1 won-lost in pool play, then capped the evening with the dinner where Gregorio assured the national team 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 about sports politics. Forget about the politics in your federation,” Gregorio said.
Alas Pilipinas is chasing honors in the 12-nation meet 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 earlier frozen financial support to the PNVF for alleged breach of contractual obligations, among others, but Gregorio told the players they need not be troubled.
