PNVF gets full support of NU, UAAP for national team

Officials from the UAAP, its participating schools, and the PNVF convene in a meeting to discuss important matters, including the national team. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Despite the recent release of its 12 players from the national pool, National University officials still showed up during a key UAAP meeting with the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) on Tuesday.

The federation gained the UAAP’s full support for the Philippine national volleyball program, as far as the league’s alignment of its volleyball schedule with the International Volleyball Federation’s (FIVB) program world calendar and lending its players to the national team are concerned.

The PNVF released 12 players from NU, led by rookie MVP Bella Belen, and coach Karl Dimaculangan last week after the Lady Bulldogs were not allowed by their management to take the last-minute invite to compete in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference and replace Kobe Shinwa University of japan, which begged off due to COVID-19.

The federation, instead, will send Creamline, which earned the right to represent the country in the AVC Cup from August 21 to 29 at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City after winning the PVL Invitational Conference.

NU athletic director Otie Camangian, however, reaffirmed the commitment of the Lady Bulldogs despite their sudden ouster to the program.

“As mentioned by the head of the team management, the team management will always be supportive of the national federation. Siguro lang (I guess) it was a request coming from the team management. Hopefully, it can be considered by the PNVF for the whole good of everybody, if they will consider it,” said Camangian, who graced the Shakey’s Super League launch, where his team will participate.

Adamson athletic director  Fr. Aldrin Suan, who is also the president of UAAP Season 85, and University of the Philippines dean Francisco “Kiko” Diaz have thrown their full support to the national team program along with Ateneo’s Em Fernandez, Far Eastern University’s Mark Molina, University of the East’s Rod Roque, UAAP Season 85 secretary treasurer Fr. Andrew Bayal also of Adamson University, De La Salle’s Nonong Calanog and Edwin Reyes, University of Santo Tomas’s Gigi Kamus and UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag.

“The UAAP is fully supportive of the initiatives of the PNVF, but for this immediate season, we have made preparations for our respective calendar of events,” Diaz said. “In fact, our current schedule of events fits perfectly with theirs [PNVF], so I don’t see any conflict.”

However, the UAAP players will not be available for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, which is set from May 5 to 16, 2023, the same period when the UAAP is about to conclude its season.

“The PNVF is thankful for the commitment of support from the UAAP,” said PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who was accompanied in the meeting by his secretary general, Don Caringal. “With this, we have a secured future for the national team.”

“The Vietnam and Cambodia SEA Games were scheduled in May, not the traditional SEA Games schedule of November up to December because of the offshoot of the Covid-19 pandemic. But come (2025), the SEA Games return to its traditional schedule and the UAAP players would be free for the national team by then,” he added.

The FIVB’s world calendar starts in May and ends in October of each year for the so-called national team window. The major competitions that could see UAAP players on the national team include the Hangzhou 19^th Asian Games in September 2023, Asian championships, Asian Volleyball Confederation Cups for Men and Women, and the Asean Grand Prix.