FIVB MWCH'25: ALAS PILIPINAS SERVES AN ACE TO THE WORLD

Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Ramon “Tats” Suzara has issued a challenge to the Alas Pilipinas players: to sustain their growth following a remarkable performance that turned heads and defied expectations at the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.

Suzara expressed hope that Bryan Bagunas, Leo Ordiales, Marck Espejo, Kim Malabunga, and the rest of the player pool would “continue to evolve in both skill and mindset, and to embrace their roles as ambassadors of the sport.”

“Elevate the sport locally through mentorship… set an example for younger athletes with discipline, teamwork, and resilience. Also, we hope they stay committed to development, even outside major competitions.”

The Philippines capped its breakout run with a five-set thriller against Iran—a stinging loss, but a valiant stand that earned the admiration of thousands of volleyball fans around the globe, including the president of volleyball’s world governing body, FIVB, and the chief of the Italian federation.

PNVF President Tats Suzara in prayer during the crucial stretch of the Alas-Iran game (FIVB MWCH 2025 LOC)

A team with the second-longest odds of advancing came within a hair’s breadth of the Round of 16 in an elite field of 32.

“This is much more than we expected. But all things considered, it’s no big surprise. We put our faith in these guys to deliver, and they did. They’re the new sports heroes of the country,” said Suzara, who is also president of the Asian Volleyball Confederation and executive vice president of the FIVB.

Alas Pilipinas put on a show when some of the tournament’s big teams and fan favorites stumbled under pressure. Paris Olympics gold medalist France went 1–2 and missed the knockout rounds, while crowd favorite and world No. 7 Japan also went 1–2 and was eliminated early.

The Philippines matched that 1–2 record but remained in contention until the final moments of pool play, exiting only after five sets of intense battle against Iran, the highest-ranked Asian team remaining in the tournament.

The team showed flashes of brilliance in its opening-day loss to Tunisia before securing the historic win over Egypt—a victory that silenced doubters and ignited national pride.

“It’s a difficult job hosting the world championship. And it’s very difficult to build a team for the world championship. But I think we’ve done a good job,” Suzara said.‍ DANNY SIMON