The Premier Volleyball League is tearing up its old playoff blueprint for a season that demands more from every team. Starting with its 10th season, the All-Filipino Conference will unfold across three separate series, all building toward one grand prize.

PVL commissioner Sherwin Malonzo confirmed the league will crown a champion in each of the first two series, Siklab and Sigla, before a stepladder finale called Sinag decides the Philippine Grand Champion.

Siklab, Sigla Set the Stage for PVL’s Grand Prize

“For this All-Filipino Conference, we will have three series,” Malonzo said. “Each series will earn points, and those points will be added up, which will be the basis of their rankings for the third series.”

Siklab opens the season on Oct. 10 and runs through Dec. 4, played as a single round-robin. The top four teams advance to the semifinals, where the top two seeds get a twice-to-beat edge.

The series carries a unique catch: every declared player on a roster must see game action at least once. The rule is designed to reward depth early and give reserves a real shot at the spotlight.

“The first series will start this October until December,” Malonzo explained. “The top two teams will have a twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals, then we will have a best-of-three championship.”

Sigla follows with the same playoff structure but drops the all-play requirement entirely. Coaches regain full control, free to lean on their strongest lineups without spreading minutes around.

“The difference between the first and the second is that the teams are required to play all their players in the first series,” Malonzo said. “In the second series, it’s all power, it’s up to the coaches.”

Sinag Stepladder Sets Up PVL Grand Championship

Standings points from both series carry over, setting the stage for Sinag, the decisive stepladder finale. The top two overall teams earn a bye straight into the best-of-three semifinals.

The other seven teams must fight through a grueling climb just to reach that stage. Seeds 7, 8, and 9 open the gauntlet in a mini round-robin, with only two survivors advancing further.

“What will happen in the third series is a step-ladder format,” Malonzo said. “The rest will go through a step-ladder format until we identify who will become the third- and fourth-placed teams.”

Winners from the lower bracket then face No. 6 and No. 5, before the survivors take on No. 3 and No. 4 for a shot at the semifinals. It is a brutal, win-or-go-home climb to the top four.

“In the semis, it will be a best-of-three between Rank 1 and Rank 4, and then Rank 2 and Rank 3,” Malonzo added. “In the finals, also a best-of-three, the winner will be declared the Philippine Grand Champion.”

The new format turns the 10th season into a true marathon, rewarding consistency across three series instead of a single tournament. Every win, from October through the finale, now carries lasting weight.