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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine national women’s volleyball team will not only be gunning for experience when they plunge into action in the 2013 Asian Volleyball Championship in Thailand next week.
More importantly, the volleybelles will be eyeing the nod of the Philippine Sports Commission to send them to the 2013 Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar this December.
“Hindi pwede yung makisali lang,” said Dr. Ian Laurel, the brains behind the program. “Kailangan namin manalo so that the PSC would have a basis to send and support the team to the SEA Games.”
Laurel said that while the team is being considered to represent the country in the biennial meet, the Filipina spikers would still need to prove their worth to be given the go-signal.
“We have to see how we will fare in this tournament first,” he shared, also saying that the team is looking to finish at least 8th in the AVC to seal their SEA Games trip.
The Philippines has the second-most gold medals in the regional meet, with 6 but hasn’t won top honors since 1993.
Not far behind
And in this quest for glory, Laurel assured everyone that the team will leave no stone unturned in their goal of bringing the Philippines back into the Asian volleyball map.
“The girls and coaches are all out for this,” he said. “This is very similar to the FIBA Asia. It’s such an honor to be invited.”
The PH crew might be battling giants starting next week, but Laurel believes the national bets aren’t going to be patsies come tournament time.
“If you base it in the Asian Games, we are not far behind skill-wise,” he said. “But what they have is exposure in the international scene.”
Head coach Nes Pamilar shares the same sentiment.
“Yung (groupmates nation) laging nasa last ranking,” he said. “So pagbubutihan namin para sa dalawang laban na ‘yan.”
Gov’t ready to support
PSC Commissioner Iggy Clavecilla quipped that should Laurel and his team come up with a good program, the government is ready to back them up.
“The previous barriers are no longer existing,” the sports official shared. “If they submit a budget and we review, and we see that it is a good program, we will support it.”
“The PSC is ready to give our full support,” Clavecilla added. “Umuusad na yung volleyball. It warms my heart that we now have a national team.”
Backed by PLDT Fibr, the national squad will be making its debut on September 13 against India. — with reports from Mark Dionisio/Rappler.com
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