PVL, PNVF eye targeted tryouts to strengthen Alas Pilipinas Women—not reset it

The next chapter for Alas Pilipinas Women is shaping up to be one of refinement, not reinvention.

As the Premier Volleyball League and the Philippine National Volleyball Federation move closer to a joint venture, PVL president Ricky Palou made it clear that the planned invitational tryouts for the national team are meant to build on what already exists, not wipe the slate clean.

With former head coach Jorge Souza de Brito no longer part of the program, questions naturally surfaced about whether the women’s national team was headed for a major overhaul. Palou pushed back on that idea, stressing that the initiative is designed to complement the current core rather than disrupt it.

While the upcoming tryouts will involve both professional and collegiate standouts, Palou emphasized that this will not be an open call.

“The tryouts for the national team are not open tryouts. There will be tryouts but they [PNVF] will invite players to try out for the national team. It’s not going to be open to everybody,” Palou said.

“The coaching staff will choose which 20 or 30 players will try out for the national team. It’s not really open to everyone.”

For now, much of the structure remains a work in progress. The format, timeline, and even the coaching staff that will oversee the process are still being finalized, underscoring that the collaboration is very much in its early stages.

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ONE PATH FOR THE FLAG

The PNVF and PVL have formalized a partnership that will open an invitational tryouts to PVL and collegiate players, creating a “unified pathway” for volleyball talents to be part of the Alas Pilipinas women’s team.#AlasPilipinas #PVL2026 pic.twitter.com/JPFUBsXuX9

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) January 16, 2026

Rather than sparking concern, the prospect of a wider—but controlled—talent pool has been largely viewed as a step toward long-term stability for the Alas Women program, especially as the international calendar continues to grow more demanding.

Team captain Jia de Guzman welcomed the idea in principle, even as her immediate focus remains on club duties with the PVL season about to tip off.

“Of course, Alas is the national team of the Philippines so we want to have the best of the best at pasok sa sistema ng magiging coach,” de Guzman said.

“The tryouts are also welcome but we do not have all the details yet. Right now kasi, we’re about to start the PVL club season so all of the focus is here. If there are more details in the future, we’ll hear it from the PNVF.”

From the league’s standpoint, PVL control committee chairman Sherwin Malonzo echoed that sentiment, framing the tryouts as an opportunity rather than a disruption—not just for pros, but for elite collegiate players as well.

“It’s a welcoming opportunity for our PVL athletes and it’s also extended to other leagues like the UAAP and NCAA,” Malonzo said.

“It’s a way of beefing up the Alas team for the coming years. I hope our players will still take that opportunity and try out.”

As plans continue to take shape, the message from all sides is consistent: the goal is not a reset, but a smarter, more sustainable path forward for Alas Pilipinas Women.

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