From Faith Nisperos slicing lechon to Eya Laure belting out an Itchyworms classic, Alas Pilipinas had a weekend to remember in Cagayan de Oro. The author was there to capture it all.
Being part of a national team entourage in any sport entails strict performance of an assigned task, be it the PR Manager, handling logistics, taking care of minute details with regards to training and nutrition and team operations.
Last weekend, I was tasked to be the game announcer in an exhibition match of the Alas Pilipinas women’s volleyball team in Cagayan de Oro, but had the rare opportunity to actually travel, interact and spend time with the contingent in a pressure-free setting.
Alas Pilipinas, fresh off their dual bronze medal showing in the SEA V-League women’s tournaments in Vietnam and Thailand, were invited by the city government of Cagayan de Oro as part of its annual Higalaay Festival, marking the city’s anniversary.
Up to the last minute, it was unclear what would go down on the trip.
Originally, Alas was to go up against UAAP titlists National University but the Lady Bulldogs opted to join the VTV Cup in Vietnam as part of their tittle-defense preparations. Then it was speculated that a collegiate men’s team would be taking NU’s place, but that notion never took off.
It came to a point that the team would play a live scrimmage but that idea fizzled out when skipper Jia Morado-de Guzman re-signed with Denso Airybees in Japan’s V-League 1. With only Julia Coronel left as the lone setter and the Filipino-American pair of Tia Andaya (a bonafide setter) and libero Hannah Stires both back in the United States, and a bulk of the collegiate youngsters back with their respective school programs, the squad could only have a limited number of members available.
Touchdown CDO
Those who did make the trip were Coronel, middle blockers Fifi Sharma, Thea Gagate, Cherry Nunag and Dell Palomata along with wingers Faith Nisperos and Vanie Gandler as well as libero Dawn Macandili-Catindig. The group was later joined by Sisi Rondina who flew in from a short vacation in Cebu and the Chery Tiggo pair of Eya Laure and Jennifer Nierva (who arrived the following day). Veteran attacker Jema Galanza was a late scratch due to her participation in the PBA opening ceremonies as the muse of Phoenix LPG.
Accompanying the team were the coachesled by Jorge Souza de Brito along with his staff composed of Benson Bocboc, Jumbo Dimaculangan, Ed Ortega and the training staff. The contingent was led by team manager Holly Reyes.
From the airport, the team was a mixture of chatty and grumpy as the ones who weren’t exactly morning people chose to stay in one corner near the boarding gate to try and recover sleep time that was cut short by the early call time.
Many passengers from other flights seized the opportunity to have snapshots taken with some of the players who were instantly recognized, and apparently Sharma’s donning of a protective face mask spared her from being approached by the memento seekers. It was a little disguise that worked quite well.
Upon landing at the Laguindingan Airport, the local fans took the advantage of having their shots at selfies while the players waited for their luggage. Again, Sharma had the least camera time. It was Gandler, Gagate and Macandili-Catindig who drew the most requests.
From there, the team boarded their shuttle service (a brand new bus with Alas Pilipinas as its first ever passengers) and made its way to City Hall where local government officials and organizers took turns welcoming everyone and eventually unveiling a feast where (as always) Lechon was among the viands. That lechon was eradicated by the team in less than ten minutes and before anyone could even lean back to appreciate the sumptuous meal, it was back to the bus to proceed to the Luxe Limketkai Hotel.
After an afternoon rest period, the team proceeded to the Oscar Moreno Sports Complex (the venue of the exhibition match) for a training session that was followed by another lechon dinner at the popular High Ridge restaurant on the city’s outskirts.
There, the team found the time to watch the Livestream of the Alas Men’s team’s victory over Vietnam in the SEA V-League leg in Manila.
They turned into fans and analysts as the final set unfolded and erupted into cheers when the final point was won by the Philippines.
The next day saw another lechon-heavy lunch at the Seda Hotel along with a meet-and-greet opportunity with the fans at the competition venue. It was during the lunch when Alas finally met their opponents: The Davao Eagles, a selection of some of the best up and coming talent from Region X and a contingent that had just arrived earlier that morning after what was described as a harrowing four-hour land trip from Davao City.
Prior to the tiff, Alas gave away gifts to the young players who were selected to be with the team during an outreach session and then also took part in distributing giveaways to the paying fans in the venue. Among the items handed out were sports equipment that included uninflated basketballs and volleyballs.
As the Alas members hurled the items to the stands, a comedic incident involving Gandler happened when she was about to throw an uninflated basketball to the second level. But she misaimed her release and ended up knocking a male fan to the ground with a direct hit to the face. The star spiker out of Ateneo crumbled to ground as well in embarrassment but surely that fan will have a great story to tell his relatives during their next family gathering.
As expected, Alas dominated the Eagles. However, the true highlight was when the fans descended on to the court after the match armed with hand-made gifts. The gifts to the players included drawings, knittings and collages.
Sharma and Laure were among those who gave away their signed, game-worn shoes and the players spent a good half an hour with their fans before being ushered back on the bus to head to the post-match dinner at the renowned Buffalo Grill in downtown CDO. They were also joined by the Eagles and all those involved with the event.
Volleybelles doing videoke
The usual lechon now had a significant partner as a giant tuna (the whole fish) was part of the buffet. Everyone partook of fresh sashimi while Nisperos showed off her “lechon-carving” skills.
“I’m from Davao, I must know how to this,” she said. The jury is still out on her pork butchering abilities.
Eventually, the videoke machine sprung to life and the first to belt out were the pair of Rondina and Nunag–who are actually known as the two best singers on the team.
Sharma, however, grabbed everyone’s attention with her rendition of Alicia Keys’ classic “If I Don’t Have You” while others such as Coronel and Macandili-Catindig also gave heartfelt performances to the delight of those in attendance.
The limelight, though, was stolen by Laure.
Once she acquired the microphone, she proceeded to “host” and bring the energy of the room up, that is until she began singing.
Laure’s styling of the Itchyworms hit “Beer” was so entertaining that her flying off tune and turning the refrain into a rap was so hilarious that the rest of the team almost fell off their chairs in laughter. Even Coach Jorge was in awe when Laure (in between belting) said, “Coach, now you know my hidden talent.”
De Brito could only shake his head.
The party went on into the night before everyone had to return to the hotel to prepare for the final departure back to Manila the following morning.
“We’re finally going home,” an ecstatic Gandler shared. “We’ve been on the road for a while now from Korea, to Japan, to Vietnam, to Thailand and to here. It’ll be great to finally go back home.”
In the end, Alas Pilipinas does deserve a hiatus from the rugged schedule of representing the country in a slew of international competitions that began with the AVC Challenge Cup last May.
The team picked up three bronze medal finishes and is proving to the Philippine volleyball aficionados that they are a sustaining program that is committed to the long haul.
Their next assignment is a series of friendlies with Japan’s Hisamitsu Springs that plays in the aforementioned Japan V-League 1 this coming September. They will continue to gear up for more sorties in 2025, which, of course, includes the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
But it was an honor to witness the lighter side of a national team that could go on to rewrite volleyball history at its present trajectory.
It is everyone’s hope that this core–which has already bonded and developed natural camaraderie–stay intact.
Just maybe help Eya Laure also develop the use of her pipes, Nisperos sharpen her knife skills and that everyone else stay as vibrant and pure as shown in this trip to Cagayan de Oro City.
Banner Image and Videos from Noel Zarate.