Tony Boy Liao appointed new PNFV chief, Tats Suzara ousted

A major shake-up in Philippine volleyball leadership: Anthony “Tony Boy” Liao has been elected the new president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), replacing long-time head Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who has been ousted in a dramatic boardroom turnover. 

The election, held Friday in Taguig, resulted in a sweeping win for Liao and his slate with 47 voting members casting their ballots, Liao secured the top position.

Liao, best known for his role as chairman of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), said his priority will be to elevate Philippine volleyball across all fronts. 

“Our hope is to continue making Philippine volleyball better,” he said after the election.

With Liao taking over, the rest of the PNVF executive roster also saw significant changes as Dr. Arnel Hajan was elected chairman, succeeding senator Allan Peter Cayetano. 

Yul Benosa becomes vice president, Otie Camangian assumes the role of secretary-general, Ricky Palou will serve as treasurer, and Roger Banzuela as auditor. 

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THE NEW PNVF BOARD 🇵🇭🏐

Here are the newly elected members of the PNVF Executive Board for 2025-2027, with Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara noticeably missing from the list.

A new president is expected to be named within the evening after what has been a near-five hour vote.… pic.twitter.com/QJYAbeEQF7

— John Mark Garcia (@johnmarkdg_) November 21, 2025

The shift comes at a critical moment for the PNVF, just weeks after the Philippine men’s national team made history at the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship, and ahead of the upcoming Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. 

Suzara, who had led the PNVF since its inception, failed to land any post in the new leadership panel. 

Known for his steady hand, Suzara will continue to serve as president of the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), a position he assumed previously. 

Liao is expected to push for stronger synergies between the national federation and the professional league.

The changes also come amid growing pressure to deliver concrete international results, especially in regional competitions such as the SEA Games. 

Liao and his newly appointed board will also be tasked with managing preparations for the national teams, particularly the Alas Pilipinas men’s and women’s squads, who are expected to carry the flag at the Southeast Asian Games. 

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