PNVF, Jorge de Brito begin talks in bid to resolve ongoing dispute

After months of silence, stalled communication, and growing uncertainty, the first real movement has finally come in the standoff between the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and former Alas Pilipinas Women head coach Jorge Souza de Brito.

What happened on Tuesday may not have settled the dispute, but it did something just as important — it got both sides back to the same table.

In a development that could shape how the situation unfolds moving forward, PNVF officials and de Brito formally opened discussions, signaling what appears to be the federation’s first meaningful step toward addressing the issues that have lingered since his departure from the national team setup.

The timing was notable.

The meeting took place just hours before de Brito was set to coach Capital1 in its play-in clash against Galeries Tower, underscoring how even amid club duties, the unresolved matters tied to his national team stint continue to follow him.

At the center of the initial talks were de Brito’s longstanding concerns over unpaid bonuses, which reportedly cover five separate tournaments. Those concerns, according to those involved in the discussions, were formally raised and acknowledged during the meeting.

That alone represented a shift. For months, the issue had largely remained in the background — discussed publicly at times, but without visible signs of progress. Tuesday’s dialogue, at the very least, moved the matter from public frustration into an actual negotiation setting.

The federation is now expected to further review the financial concerns raised by de Brito and his camp, a step that could determine whether the dispute begins moving toward a settlement or stretches into a longer process.

Notably, however, both camps appeared to take a measured approach in how they handled the meeting.

Rather than immediately diving into the most contentious parts of the dispute, the discussion reportedly steered clear of the more legally sensitive issues surrounding de Brito’s contract and working visa. That decision may have been less about avoidance and more about strategy.

At this stage, the apparent priority is progress over confrontation.

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MADAMING VIOLATIONS!

Alleged contract violations committed by former Alas Pilipinas head coach Jorge Souza de Brito are at the center of the ongoing dispute over his unpaid bonuses, according to Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Anthony “Tony Boy” Liao. pic.twitter.com/Nt8VFTGFpj

— Fastbreak (@fastbreaknewsph) March 20, 2026

By focusing first on the less explosive but still significant concerns, both sides seem to be testing whether common ground can still be found before the conversation shifts into more complicated legal territory.

That reading was echoed by Atty. Rex Cruz, de Brito’s legal counsel, who was present during the talks and indicated that the process is only beginning.

According to Cruz, Tuesday’s meeting should be viewed not as a final resolution, but as the first of what is expected to be a series of discussions aimed at sorting through all unresolved matters between the coach and the federation.

That means the real test may still lie ahead.

Still, for de Brito, even this initial dialogue appears to have carried significance. After months of uncertainty and what had been a frustrating lack of direct engagement, the former national team coach welcomed the opening of communication and viewed the development as a step in the right direction.

He described the meeting as a “positive thing,” seeing it as the first tangible movement toward obtaining the compensation he has long maintained is owed to him.

Whether that optimism leads to an actual settlement remains to be seen.

But in disputes like this, where tension can easily harden into legal deadlock, the willingness to begin talking again often matters more than any single statement issued in public.

For now, the dispute between PNVF and Jorge Souza de Brito is far from over. But after months of distance, the conversation has finally started — and that alone may have changed the tone of what comes next.

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