Rebisco clubs Creamline and Choco Mucho have parted ways with long-time players in an early move to shore up their respective lineups ahead of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference.
The multi-titled Cool Smashers bid farewell to veterans Rizza Mandapat and Pau Soriano after eight years of service as pioneers for the pink and white.
Both players have been with Creamline since 2017 and have helped the franchise win 10 championships. However, Mandapat and Soriano have spent the last couple of seasons on the sidelines as reserve players in the Cool Smashers’ stacked rosters.
Creamline’s unloading of its old guards could pave the way for young bloods or fresh new faces to reinforce its aging core.
The year 2025 wasn’t a good one for the Cool Smashers, who lost all the titles they won in a historic grand slam in 2024.
Creamline settled for bronze in the AFC, which Petro Gazz ruled. It also finished third in the inaugural pre-season conference, On Tour, and in the Invitational, both won by PLDT.
The Sherwin Meneses-mentored team missed the podium entirely with its worst tournament result of a sixth-place finish in the year- ending Reinforced Conference after getting knocked out by the eventual champion Angels in the quarterfinal.
Choco Mucho, on the other hand, did not renew the expiring contracts of top spiker Royse Tubino, middle blockers Cherry Nunag and Aduke Ogunsanya and libero Bia General.
Tubino displayed leadership and offensive firepower since joining the Flying Titans in January 2024.
“Royse Tubino, our Sergeant on and off the court. Your courage, leadership, and relentless spirit as a flying titan made a lasting impact on the team. We can’t wait to see all the great things your next journey holds,” the Flying Titans posted on its Instagram account on Monday.
The 32-year-old Philippine Army sergeant joined Choco Mucho after her stints with Sta. Lucia and PLDT.