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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Volleyball devider SEAG 2019 heartbreak still haunts Valdez

SEAG 2019 heartbreak still haunts Valdez

Published May 28, 2026 03:09 pm

At A Glance

  • Returning to national team duties in the competition slated June 6 to 14, seasoned players Alyssa Valdez, Jovelyn Gonzaga, and Ces Molina try to rally the young generation of players and give them plenty of lessons from their past tournaments.
(PNVF)
(PNVF)
Alas Pilipinas, now without some of its key players in Jia De Guzman and Angel Canino, heads into the 2026 AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup in Candon, Ilocos Sur with a veteran-laden roster guiding the newest weapons under the tutelage of interim coach Shaq Delos Santos.
Returning to national team duties in the competition slated June 6 to 14, seasoned players Alyssa Valdez, Jovelyn Gonzaga, and Ces Molina try to rally the young generation of players and give them plenty of lessons from their past tournaments.
One of which is the 2019 Southeast Asian Games heartbreak after the host Philippines narrowly missed the podium for a fourth-place finish.
“'Yong experience namin ng 2019, a lot of learnings actually, sana ma-impart namin sa mga bata, na hopefully na mag-merge ang mga kabataan at mga ates,” said Gonzaga. “And ‘yon talaga ‘yong pinaka-goal namin.”
“Pero siguro nga, may way talaga si God para makabalik kami ulit dito, and syempre, pagtatrabahuhan namin ulit ngayon. And ‘yong experience namin, simula that time hanggang ngayon. Sana mabigay namin talaga sa darating na tournament ngayon,” added Molina.
Apart from Molina and Gonzaga, Valdez also holds the same sentiment.
“From 2019 experience namin, muntik na malapit to now na nakabalik kami. Sana may ma-im part talaga ‘yong mga learnings on and off the court, definitely, ‘yon naman ‘yong importante para ma-carry namin ‘yong Philippines with pride and honor,” said Valdez.
“So, I think one way of saying na ‘di pa tapos ‘yong obligation namin for the national team, binalik [kami] siguro dahil may reason din. Hopefully, ‘yong reason na ‘yon kung ano man ‘yon magampan namin as ates para sa mga bata, gaya nila Ytang,” she added.
It can be remembered six years ago, the Philippines, powered by Valdez, came up short for a podium after bowing to Indonesia in five sets, 25-20, 24-26, 25-15, 20-25, 16-14, in their bronze-medal match before the Filipino fans at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
There, the Filipina tossers had several chances of clinching the crucial game, but unfortunately, the Indonesian found ways to neutralize the crowd favorites to snatch the third honor. It extended the meda drought of the country as it last bronze victory was way back 2005 edition staged in Bacolod. The recent gold, meanwhile, was in 1993 in Singapore.
Last Wednesday, the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) unveiled its 20-woman roster with Valdez, Gonzaga, and Molina leading the way for the bevy of standouts from collegiate and professional ranks.
Niña Ytang headlines the young guns alongside Far Eastern University’s Tin Ubaldo, Cla Loresco, and Jaz Ellarina, Adamson’s Lhouriz Tuddao, Letran’s Vanessa Sarie, Natalie Estreller, and Lara Mae Silva.
Other pros are in the list in ZUS's Thea Gagate, Cloanne Mondoñedo, and Alyssa Eroa, Creamline's Kyle Negrito, Kyla Atienza, and Tots Carlos, and Farm Fresh's Ara Galang, Trisha Tubu, and Royse Tubino.
They are up in a tall order after being included in Pool A along with Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Australia, and Uzbekistan, while Pool B is banners by reigning champion Vietnam together with Kazakhstan, Iran, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Lebanon.

Related Tags

AVC Women\'s Vollyeball Cup Alyssa Valdez Ces Molina Jovelyn Gonzaga Alas Pilipinas Nina Ytang Shaq Delos Santos
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