Alas Pilipinas captain Jia de Guzman at the SEA Women's V.League 2025. SAVA/Facebook
MANILA — Alas Pilipinas Women's team captain Jia de Guzman reflected on the national team's back-to-back bronze medal finishes in the 2025 SEA Women's V.League on Tuesday.
De Guzman, as well as co-skipper Dawn Catindig and players Vanie Gandler and Alleiah Malaluan were present in a promotional LRT-2 ride for the upcoming Philippine-hosted FIVB Men's World Championship 2025.
Fresh from the two tournament legs SEA V.League, the national squad's leader shared that these are all "building blocks" for their long-term goals in the Alas Pilipinas program.
"We're happy because not just of the podium finishes but also because 'yung pinaka-goal namin is to build something long term, so these are all building blocks of what we want to do as a team," De Guzman told reporters.
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They aim to strengthen the national team program, consistent with the players and coaches, said the pride of Ateneo de Manila University.
"Clear naman 'yung direction sa aming players and coaches kung ano 'yung gusto namin ma-achieve. The small steps ng progress ng building a system and getting more people to come into the team and buy into the system, it shows na 'yung recent wins namin na things are working and sana magtuloy-tuloy lang talaga," she said.
READ: Alas Pilipinas repeats over Indonesia, takes another SEA V.League bronze
The 30-year-old veteran setter also addressed the switching and mixing of players while in those short and day-to-day competitions, asserting that they "need" it in order to be more familiar with each other.
"Regarding dun sa question about the mixing and matching of players kasi it's what is needed in the national team, especially with tournaments na every day naglalaro. It's not like the local tournaments we play na you can stick to a specific seven and then you get to rest 4-5 days before the next game," De Guzman said.
"Ito, every game naglalaro and we're expected to play with anyone who is put inside the court," she added.
The recent triumphs now reflect that they have jelled better as a team, De Guzman underscored.
"Ngayon, it shows that young ones, experienced ones, we're all comfortable playing with each other and that's because start palang nung season na ito, pati last year, sila coach did everything they could and are encouraging us to be able to play and perform who else is inside the court," she said.
"At the end of the day, we're all playing in the same system, we're all trusting in the same system, so it should be easier for us to work together kahit sinong pumasok sa loob."
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