Marcos rallies behind volleybelles

Malacañang has thrown its full support for five major international volleyball competitions the country is hosting for the second semester of the year beginning with the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Challenge Cup that kicks off on Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

In Memorandum Circular 49 dated 13 May and signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. ordered “all government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations, are hereby directed, and all local government units are encouraged, to extend full support to the Philippine hosting of volleyball and beach volleyball events in 2024.”

Besides the AVC Women’s Challenge Cup, the Philippine National Volleyball Federation has lined up the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Men’s Week Three from 18 to 23 June at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Volleyball World Challenger Cup from 4 to 7 July at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Southeast Asia Volleyball League for Men and Women from 13 to 25 August at the City of Santa Rosa Sports Complex and the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge from 28 November to 1 December at the Nuvali Sand Courts by Ayala Land, also in Santa Rosa.

Ten countries are seeing action in the AVC Women’s Challenge Cup — Alas Pilipinas Women, Indonesia, Chinese-Taipei, Australia and Iran in Pool A and defending champion Vietnam, India, Singapore, Hong Kong and Kazakhstan in Pool B.