Galeries Tower completes massive roster overhaul ahead of All-Filipino Conference 

Galeries Tower didn’t just tweak its lineup this offseason—it tore the blueprint apart and started over.

With the 2026 PVL season approaching, the Highrisers emerged as one of the league’s most aggressive retoolers, committing to a full-scale reset that reshaped both their roster and their bench. 

By the time the dust settled, 14 new faces were in, a veteran coach was installed, and only a handful of familiar names remained to bridge the past with what now feels like a completely new identity.

The overhaul began with difficult decisions. Thirteen players were released as Galeries Tower opted to keep just four holdovers: Julia Coronel, Jean Asis, Roselle Baliton, and Winnie Bedaña. Among those who exited were inaugural captain Fhen Emnas, a string of rotational mainstays, and the Capital1-bound duo of France Ronquillo and Ysa Jimenez—moves that signaled this was not a partial rebuild, but a clean slate.

Change reached the sidelines as well. PVL champion coach Godfrey Okumu and his staff made way for veteran tactician Aying Esteban, who arrived with a trusted group rooted heavily from the University of Santo Tomas coaching staff. With John Abella, JM Millado, Emman Dedoroy, Lorence Cruz, and physical therapist Migs Dizon joining him, the Highrisers aligned themselves with a system built on familiarity, structure, and long-term development.

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Galeries Tower adds more spikers, signing Jules Samonte and Gayle Pascual. #PVL2026

: Galeries Tower HighRisers @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/DHDzn3a83s

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) January 13, 2026

The final touches came Tuesday, when Galeries Tower rolled out what it described as its last batch of signings: Jules Samonte, Gayle Pascual, Venice Puzon, and Maji Mangulabnan. Each arrival carried a different storyline—Samonte searching for continuity after injury setbacks, Pascual and Puzon chasing bigger opportunities after limited stints elsewhere, and Mangulabnan adding immediate comfort to the system after recent runs with Akari’s squads.

Yet the centerpiece of the rebuild remains Aiza Maizo-Pontillas.

Landing the veteran spiker marked Galeries Tower’s most high-profile acquisition in two years and arguably the defining signal of its ambition. She anchors a group that also includes Shola Alvarez, Sharya Ancheta, Cams Victoria, Dolly Verzosa, Erika Deloria, Lycha Ebon, Erika Raagas, Blove Barbon, and Julia Angeles—an eclectic mix of experience, upside, and positional depth.

With the January 31 opening of the 2026 All-Filipino Conference fast approaching, Galeries Tower’s transformation is no longer theoretical. 

The Highrisers have bet on volume, leadership, and a unified coaching vision to accelerate their climb—and in doing so, have made it clear that standing still was never an option.

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