Josh Ybañez (left) and Brian Bagunas (right) banner the hard-fighting Alas Pilipinas squad that continues to lay it all on the floor despite all the adversities the team is facing. —POC MEDIA PHOTO
For years, the Philippine men’s volleyball has battled a persistent lack of support.
Even with the growing popularity of men’s volleyball in the country of late, Alas Pilipinas players continue to air concerns over inadequate allowances, which just highlights the challenges they face in the on-going 20th Asian Games.
And after a gallant stand against powerhouse South Korea, which dealt the Filipinos a 25-16, 27-25, 25-22, on Sunday at Park Arena Komaki, ace Bryan Bagunas expressed his frustration as the team still scrounges for support.
“The support is important,” Bagunas said in Filipino. “Regarding our allowances, some players have even started borrowing money from their teammates or other people just to get to training or go home.”
“It’s really tough for us to train. Sometimes, only seven or eight of us are able to attend because some players can’t make it,” added Bagunas in a video interview sent out to media outlets after the Filipinos’ first Group D loss.
Josh Ybañez, a student-athlete from University of Santo Tomas, also aired his frustration on his well-followed Instagram channel after the game.
“Talo na nga gutom pa. Ano na pinas! jusko kanya kanya na to,” he wrote. “Hindi ba namin deserve suportahan? Tanong lang.”
(We just lost and we’re also hungry. What is happening, Philippines! My God, it’s every man for himself out here. Do we not deserve your support? Just asking.)
The players aired their displeasure on a relatively quiet day for the Philippines in the Games.
Tolentino’s hurdles bronze
John Cabang Tolentino’s bronze medal in the men’s 110-meter hurdles was the biggest thing for the Philippines on Sunday, as he accomplished a personal goal he set out to do while winning a first hurdles medal for the athletics delegation in close to four decades.
“I’m very happy. It was just a lot of self-pressure, and I just did it,” an emotional Cabang Tolentino said after a season-best time of 13.48 seconds.
China’s Chen Yuanjiang, who captured the gold with a blazing 13.15 seconds, and Japan’s Rachid Muratake, who took silver at 13.29
Burdened with debt
The men’s volleyball squad is still technically under the care of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), which took over when it suspended the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) because of a leadership crisis.
The PNVF, meanwhile, released a statement late Sunday, saying that the federation “extends it sincerest apologies … for the difficulties they have experienced.”
The statement also said that when Frank Lao leadership in August 2026, “he inherited a federation burdened with substantial financial liabilities and obligations.”
Bagunas lamented that they are still facing the same problems, feeling bad for most of his teammates who are still student-athletes and left to fend for themselves.
“Some of them don’t have money for transportation. We haven’t received our allowance since July,” Bagunas said. “I understand because most of the players are student-athletes, so we just help each other out so we can have a complete team for training.”
“Some players really have to borrow money just to get to practice,” he said.
A source said that the players kept going just to represent the country and compete with pride.
Another source, who requested anonymity and refused to name names for the safety of the Alas members, revealed that ranking officials have been demanding the men’s national pool members to keep on practicing and playing without discussing the allowances or any compensation.