The Philippines claimed a silver medal at the inaugural AVC Women’s Nations Cup, marking a historic result for the national team since receiving support through the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme.
Philippines with the Filipino community in Hanoi during the AVC Women’s Nations Cup.
Known in their home country as Alas Pilipinas, the team earned victories against Mongolia and Indonesia in the group stage, followed by a five-set loss to Iran. They bounced back to beat New Zealand in the quarterfinals, edged Chinese Taipei in a five-set semifinal, and finished second overall after a loss to hosts Vietnam in the gold medal match.
The silver medal adds to the country’s recent breakthrough, coming just one year after a bronze finish at the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup. It also reflects the progress made since the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) established a National Team roadmap in 2023, reaching the podium in less than three years.
Fifi Sharma celebrates with Bella Belen at AVC Women’s Nations Cup in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The result also highlights the wider impact of the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, which supports the volleyball and beach volleyball programmes of the Philippines across both men’s and women’s teams. Since 2020, the country has received more than $788,000 in support through eight approved projects.
For volleyball, this includes multiple coaching projects, Gerflor flooring, and sustained technical assistance, including back-to-back coaching support delivered through 2023 and 2024. These efforts provided the foundation for team development, training continuity, and improved performance at the international level.
Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito leads the Philippine huddle at the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup in Manila.
“The importance of Empowerment in our preparation has been fundamental, providing athletes and coaches with support for training, high-level international competitions, and training camps abroad,” said head coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito.
“These factors contributed greatly to the final result. The continuity of FIVB Empowerment allows us to plan and strive for greater achievements for Philippine volleyball. This new era wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our federation, the PNVF, our President Ramon Suzara and his staff.”
Philippines lands three spots on 2025 AVC Nations Cup Dream Team.
From the sidelines to the court, that impact was also clear to captain and setter Jia De Guzman. De Guzman, who was named Best Setter of the tournament, joined teammates Angel Canino and Dell Palomata in the Dream Team.
De Guzman said the Empowerment programme gave the team access to knowledge and coaching they had been missing, and a clear path to improve.
Captain Jia De Guzman steers the Philippines to back-to-back podium finishes in 2024 and 2025.
“I’ve always believed that the Philippines has the potential to level up in volleyball,” said De Guzman. “We’ve always had the talent, but it’s also a sport that continuously evolves every day, so access to knowledge and coaching is vital in achieving the country’s potential. The FIVB Volleyball Empowerment has given us the resources and opportunity we need to steer our national teams towards a better direction. It gave us hope that we can grow as a volleyball country and inspire more athletes of the next generation.”
Photo source: Asian Volleyball Confederation
