MANILA -- Alas Pilipinas veterans Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo are raring to lead the squad in their first team up in two years, while recognizing the daunting task ahead.
After recovering from their respective injuries, Bagunas and Espejo are set to headline the Alas Pilipinas team making its historic debut in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship in front of a home crowd.
Espejo said he's looking forward to sharing the court again with Bagunas, especially with a tall task at hand.
"Actually after ilang years po, ngayon lang ulit magkasama kami ni Bryan [Bagunas] sa loob ng court. Masaya po ako. Na-miss ko po yung aura niya sa loob ng court. Excited ako ulit makalaro si Bryan sa loob ng court," Espejo told reporters on Wednesday.
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For his part, Bagunas is excited to don the tri-colors again after a year, alongside Espejo and a talented young squad.
"Sobrang saya na nakabalik na ako sa loob ng court. Ayun, siyempre hindi ko pa masasabi na 100% yung condition ko. But yun nga tina-try ko naman humabol sa team," he shared.
"Alam naman natin yung team sobrang taas na yung level ngayon, talagang pataas na nang pataas. Kaya tina-try ko makahabol sa kanila," Bagunas added.
The Alas Pilipinas mainstays last teamed up for national team duties during the second leg of the Southeast Asian V.League in 2023.
During August of the following year, Bagunas injured his left knee during the first leg of the same tournament held in Manila.
Espejo, on the other hand, has been recovering from an ankle injury he suffered during the 2025 AVC Men's Volleyball Nations Cup in June.
"Pagkabalik ko po medyo nahirapan kasi mga one month din ako hindi nag-training. Pero ngayon naka-catch up na ako sa team. Personally, meron pa akong ilalabas," he said.
But Espejo said he is excited to compete once again for the flag this month.
"Excited po pero naka-focus pa rin sa training para mailabas namin yung best potential ng teaming," he said.
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'MALAYO PA, PERO MALAYO NA'
Bagunas and Espejo said the country's hosting of the FIVB Men's World Championships means a lot for them and the development of men's volleyball.
Espejo recognizes the gravity of the upcoming FIVB Men's World Championship.
"Ito big tournament talaga. Lahat naman po kami talaga ready. Pero siyempre as a team, malayo pa. Malayo pa yung kailangan gawin. Pero malayo na rin ang inimprove ng team since nagsama-sama kami before training camp sa Europe," he said.
Espejo and the rest of Alas Pilipinas Men's team emphasized the importance of their string of training camps in Europe ahead of the major tournament.
Bagunas hopes more Filipinos will support the team and the growth of the sport.
"Siyempre ayan na, na-go-goosebumps ako. Sobrang overwhelming na tuluy-tuloy na ang suporta sa men's [volleyball]. Sana magtuluy-tuloy ito, ito na yung simula," he said.
"Kaming national team andito naman kami para mag-perform, para ipakita sa Pilipinas na kaya rin namin mag-perform sa World Championship," Bagunas adds.
When asked about being the underdogs of the tournament, as the Philippines is ranked No. 82 in the world, Bagunas said they will use this as motivation.
"Kami naman ano ayun, mag-peperform lang kami. Ipapakita namin kung ano natutunan namin sa mga coaches natin. And papakita namin na may chance makapag-compete ang Philippine men's volleyball sa world stage," he said.
"Kumbaga ito yung start para mas makilala yung Philippine men's volleyball," Bagunas added.
The Alas Pilipinas veteran is also all praises for the younger members of the squad, who he says have hugely improved from when they last played together.
Alas Pilipinas Men's will open its campaign against Tunisia on September 12 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.