Alas Pilipinas Men arrive in Taiwan to begin SEA Games preparations

Alas Pilipinas Men have arrived in Taiwan to set up a training camp as part of their preparations for the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand in December.

The Filipinos are currently in Kaohsiung where they will figure in six friendly games against several Taiwanese squads as they seek the country's first-ever gold medal at the SEA Games. 

Alas Men are coming off a historic run at the FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship, where the nationals captured the country's first-ever win at the world stage when they overcame world no. 1 Egypt in four sets. 

They are now looking at making more history, this time at the SEA Games scene. 

Joining Alas at the camp are mainstays Marck Espejo, Kim Malabunga, Louie Ramirez, Leo Ordiales, Josh Ybañez, Peng Taguibolos, and Lloyd Josafat among others. 

Alas Men have also invited University of Santo Tomas standouts Al-Bukarie Sali and JJ Macam as well and Filipino-American opposite hitter Lucca Mamone.

Meanwhile, the Alas Pilipinas Women have yet to kick off their SEA Games build-up with less than a month left before the biennial meet. 

According to Philippine National Volleyball Federation, only team captain Jia de Guzman, spikers Eya Laure, Vanessa Gandler, and liberos Dawn Macandili-Catindig and Jen Nierva are regularly attending training under Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito. 

—JMB, GMA Integrated News