THE Alas Pilipinas men’s team arrived in Taiwan at noon Sunday for a two-week training camp in preparation for the Thailand 33rd Southeast Asian Games.

In extreme contrast, a full Alas Pilipinas women’s squad has yet to train together with the Thailand SEA Games only three weeks away.

The same Alas men’s team that made history in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship last September are in the Kaohsiung training camp that includes six friendly matches against powerhouse Taiwanese squads.

“We’re going to prepare well for the SEA Games and we really need to train together since we came from a long break, too,” added Espejo who contributed strongly in the worlds where the Philippines finish in 19th place among 32 teams.

Training camp for Alas Pilipinas women’s squad couldn’t go full throttle with only Team captain Jia de Guzman, Eya Laure, Vanessa Gandler, Dawn Macandili-Catindig and Jen Nierva religiously attending training under Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito at the Gameville in Mandaluyong.

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) hoped for at least a three-week training for a 20-member pool from the professional women’s league and top collegiate schools but the commercial clubs still had to heed the call.

Also on the men’s team coached by Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni, according to Philippine National Volleyball Federation are Owa Retamar, Leo Ordiales, Josh Ybañez, Kim Malabunga, Peng Taguibolos, Louie Ramirez, Lloyd Josafat, Buds Buddin, Vince Lorenzo, Eco Adajar and Jade Disquitado.

PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said that also on the team are two young guns from University of Santo Tomas—Al-Bukarie Sali and JJ Macam—and Lucca Mamone.

“I’m super happy and grateful for this opportunity. I used to just dream of being part of Alas, and now it finally happened,” said Sali, a 6-foot-5 opposite spiker. “I’m really excited because I used to join their training before. The intensity is so high and it’s a big help for me.”

Team captain Bryan Bagunas remains in Japan as where he’s playing for the Osaka Bluteon in the ongoing SV.League.

Taiwan holds a special place in Bagunas’s overseas journey—he was named MVP of the Top Volleyball League in 2023, leading WinStreak to back-to-back championships in the same year and in the 2023-24 season.

The Philippines last reached the SEA Games podium in 2019, when the country hosted the 30th edition, where the men’s squad clinched silver after a final showdown with Indonesia.

Bagunas, Espejo, Malabunga and Retamar were key figures in that run.

Since then, Alas finished fifth in both the Hanoi and Phnom Penh Games as the country continues to chase a breakthrough gold, with the program’s best results so far being two silver medals—including a finals appearance in 1977—and five bronze finishes.