Sisi Rondina–Bernadeth Pons reunion headlines Philippine Beach Volleyball’s redemption mission in Thailand

For the first time in four years, one of Philippine beach volleyball’s most electrifying duos is back where fans believe they belong — side by side on the sand, chasing medals and rewriting unfinished stories.

Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons, long celebrated as the ‘SiPons’ tandem, are officially leading Alas Pilipinas into the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Chonburi, Thailand beginning December 18, marking a reunion many thought would take far longer to materialize.

And this time, they are chasing redemption.

Rondina and Pons last played together in 2021, a period when they consistently delivered podium finishes and became synonymous with the country’s rise in the sport. But in 2023, the Philippines missed out on another bronze in Cambodia, with both stars competing alongside different partners.

Now, after standout individual seasons indoors, they return to the sand with renewed focus.

At 29, Rondina is coming off the most accomplished stretch of her indoor career. The explosive Choco Mucho star earned her first PVL MVP award in 2023, while guiding the Flying Titans to consecutive finals appearances. Her year also included major contributions to Alas Pilipinas’ bronze runs in the AVC Nations Cup and SEA V.League.

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BEACH BATTLE TO BEGIN

Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons headline a veteran-stacked Alas Pilipinas beach volleyball roster determined to finally break through vs regional powerhouses in the 33rd SEA Games.#SEAGames33 #SEAGames2025 #TibayAtTataghttps://t.co/vzQ3UGL32u pic.twitter.com/u5naOg8k56

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) December 4, 2025

Pons, meanwhile, became an integral piece of Creamline’s legendary dominance. She helped the Cool Smashers complete a historic Grand Slam, while securing her own first professional MVP award in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference.

But despite their indoor success, both stars pressed pause on their club commitments to return to the discipline that first made them household names.

This SEA Games campaign, for them, is personal.

Rondina and Pons will be joined by Fil-American standout Sunny Villapando, bringing length and international experience, and Gen Esplapor, a steady presence and two-time SEA Games bronze medalist.

Together, the quartet forms one of the deepest women’s beach volleyball squads the Philippines has fielded in years.

The men’s team is anchored by seasoned competitors Ran Abdilla and James Buytrago, both proven medalists on the SEA Games stage.

Buytrago, a former NU stalwart, looks to clinch his third SEA Games podium finish after bronzes in 2019 and 2023. Abdilla, a former Spikers’ Turf MVP, shares the same target after finishing third in 2021 and 2023.

Not in the lineup, however, are Jude Garcia and Jaron Requinton, signaling a shift in the team’s strategic direction.

With both squads infused with experience, athleticism, and a sharpened sense of purpose, Alas Pilipinas enters Chonburi with a clear mission: bring the Philippines back to the SEA Games beach volleyball podium — and perhaps higher than ever before.

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