Joshua Retamar embraces veteran role as Alas Pilipinas gears up for World Championship 

When Alas Pilipinas takes the taraflex on September 12 at the Mall of Asia Arena to open the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship, all eyes will be on setter Joshua “Owa” Retamar — not only for his playmaking, but for how he leads a squad carrying the hopes of a nation against the world’s best.

At just 25, Retamar has already collected accolades most players dream of — three UAAP crowns with National University, plus individual honors on the semi-pro and international stage. Yet, despite being one of the veterans of the national team, he admits he still wrestles with the responsibility of being regarded as a leader.

“Even now, I still struggle to act like a senior on the team. That’s why Kuya Bryan and Kuya Marck always remind me that I need to step up and be a leader,” he said, referring to national team stalwarts Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo.

Retamar is one of only five holdovers from the 2019 Southeast Asian Games silver-medal squad — a run that revived Philippine men’s volleyball on the international map. 

Alongside Bagunas, Espejo, Kim Malabunga, and Jack Kalingking, he now anchors a roster blending tested veterans with rising talents like Eco Adajar and Elijah Tae-yin Kim.

What fuels Retamar’s growth is the guidance of Alas coach Angiolino Frigoni, who has helped him transition from being “the young setter” to the team’s steadying force.

Joshua “Owa” Retamar and his teammates at Alas Pilipinas brought home huge gains after facing taller and stronger European teams in a fruitful three-country training camp in Morocco, Romania, and Portugal ahead of their historic debut… | @manilabulletinhttps://t.co/geVOV3zr6j

— Manila Bulletin Sports (@mbsportsonline) August 27, 2025

“I’m improving in a lot of ways, even my attitude when it comes to volleyball. Even if I can’t always show it or do what’s expected of me right away, I’m really trying, for myself and for my team,” Retamar said.

That mental shift will be crucial as world No. 82 Philippines enters the tournament as the lowest-ranked nation in the 32-team field. 

The hosts earned their spot by virtue of hosting rights, and now face a brutal group phase that pits them against world No. 13 Iran, No. 23 Egypt, and No. 43 Tunisia.

The challenge begins with Tunisia in the curtain-raiser on September 12, followed by Egypt on the 16th, and powerhouse Iran on the 18th — all at the MOA Arena.

Though the odds are stacked high, Retamar and Alas Pilipinas understand the weight of their platform. The silver medalists of 2019 are no longer the dark horses; they are now the standard-bearers of Philippine men’s volleyball on the biggest stage yet.

And for Retamar, that means more than running plays — it’s about growing into the leader his teammates believe he can be.

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