The Philippine National Volleyball Federation Inc. (PNVFI) has prepared a 10-point goal strategy to strengthen the sport in the country.
PNVFI President Tats Suzara said the agenda touches issues from the grassroots up to the elite level, including making volleyball the number one family sport entertainment in the Philippines.
“We want to touch these points one by one for the growth of Philippine volleyball,” said Suzara in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Online Forum.
Among the highlights of the 10-point strategy is to form a federation-owned national league similar to the ones in Thailand.
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Having a national league would gather some of the best teams across the country.
“Dito walang PSL (Philippine Superliga), walang PVL (Premier Volleyball League), walang UAAP… Kasi wala tayong national league eh. Andami nating leagues pero wala tayong national league (Here, there’s no PSL, PVL, UAAP… Because we have lots of leagues, but we don’t have a national league,” Suzara said, adding that he would propose to the board to call it a PNFVI Champions League.
Beefing up the national team by hiring Brazilian coaches is also part of PNVFI’s program.
“They will bring up their technology here that would benefit not only the athletes but also the local coaches as well,” Suzara said.
Bringing back world-class events, as well as age-group tournaments is also important.
“We used to host these events, from FIVB to AVC tournaments… And we used to have a national junior team that we send abroad to tournaments,” said Suzara, who appeared in the weekly forum with vice president Arnel Hajan.
Suzara said they are planning to have various committees within the federation to address various agenda, where all stakeholders will be involved.
Athletes like Alyssa Valdez, Aby Maraño and Jaja Santiago welcomed these new changes, particularly the election of officers for the newly-formed federation that has gained recognition from the international volleyball federation (FIVB) in the recent World Volleyball Congress.
“A unified volleyball gives a big impact especially to players. We want to keep inspiring the youth through the sport even if we’re in the pandemic,” said Maraño, a former national team captain.
“The core value of this federation is inclusivity… It becomes easier to grow the sport and to promote it. And we know that sport is such an equalizer. So the moment we reach out, then we'll be able to extend the beauty of volleyball,” said PNVFI Board member Charo Soriano.