The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) issued a strong warning on Friday, saying it may withdraw the participation of Alas Pilipinas Women in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games unless the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) fully complies with a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) designed to ensure the national team’s competitive readiness.

POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino made the statement from Bahrain, where he is currently overseeing Team Philippines’ campaign in the Asian Youth Games. He stressed that the agreement with the PVL is crucial to guaranteeing the best possible showing for the national team in the regional meet hosted by Thailand in December.

POC calls for unity and cooperation

“It’s about patriotism—putting flag and country above and before everything else,” Tolentino said. “The goal is to finish strong—and to win the gold—in all of the sports where Filipino athletes are entered in the Thailand SEA Games.”

He added that the entire 1,700-strong Philippine delegation is determined to fight for the overall championship, a title the country last claimed during its 2019 hosting.

“And we are all aware—after having won three Olympic gold medals—that winning involves an absolute participation and cooperation by an entire community,” Tolentino said. “Without full cooperation, we won’t accomplish our goals.”

Preparation and commitment key for Alas Pilipinas

Tolentino underscored the importance of proper training and sufficient time to build chemistry, calling the remaining 46 days before the Games “crucial.”

The PVL, according to Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) secretary-general Don Caringal, drafted the MOA to allow players from the league’s 12 teams—along with select collegiate athletes—to form the core of the national squad.

Under Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito, Alas Pilipinas Women have made notable progress since 2021, capturing silver in the 2025 Hanoi SEA Games, bronze in the 2024 Asian Nations Cup, and back-to-back bronze medals in the 2024 and 2025 SEA V-League tournaments in Vietnam.

Had the MOA been signed in August, Tolentino noted, the team would have enjoyed over three months of preparation leading to the Thailand SEA Games.