The league successfully held the recently concluded open conference at the PCV Socio-Civic and Cultural Center in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte despite delays caused by the current pandemic situation and heavy rains which pushed the officials to compress the latter part.

On Friday, Chery Tiggo claimed the PVL’s first professional season crown to dethrone Creamline in an epic come-from-behind five-set decider victory, 23-25, 20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-8.

The league’s president Ricky Palou shared that they are planning to conduct another tournament with the teams staying at the hotel of their choice in a hotel-venue-hotel set-up.

Plans for the venue of the next tournament are still uncertain and will need to consider the COVID-19 situation, IATF, and the LGU’s safety protocols.

“We’re looking at another conference sometime in October or November depending on the situation of Manila. If we’re allowed to conduct another conference gusto na namin sana sa Manila,” Palou shared with the reporters.

“Yung bubble type namin is kanya kanyang teams. Walang labasan kasi si Sta. Lucia may hotel naman sila, yung dalawang teams ni Rebisco may hotel din parang quarters, para venue back to the quarters. Yung working staff talagang ikaquarters namin yun.”

The league will also have a video challenge system, which was derailed in the Open Conference due to logistical difficulties.

“We need a video challenge because there were some calls na controversial but walang magawa because sabi ng referee ganun, sabi ng line judge ganiyan, so there was nothing they could do about it,” he said. “We feel that it’s a very important instrument that we should have in our games so this time around, we will make sure that we’ll get the video challenge.”

Looking back at the PVL’s month-long season, the league was really challenged as the primary plan of conducting the bubble at the Centennial Arena in Laoag was pushed to move in the last minute to PCV Socio-Civic and Cultural Center in Bacarra after the former was classified under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine a week before the kickoff.

Elaborating on the pandemic-delayed games, hours before the opening last July 17, a member of the Perlas participants tested positive that caused postponement of its first week matches. They eventually saw action and completed their elimination-round matches.

The Open Conference also faced weather delays due to heavy rains causing slippery spots on the playing court and power outages, especially on the second day of the tournament as Petro Gazz and Army waited for three hours before the court was declared playable.

The league also conducted daily matches in the final weeks of the season including the final three playdates of the elimination, semifinals, and finals.

The compressed game schedules were mutually agreed upon by the league, coaches, and team managers.

“We met with the teams sinabi namin yung problema sinabi namin sa kanila kung gusto nila ituloy ito or itigil na natin ‘to uwi na tayo,” said Palou. “Yung teams naman lahat tapusin na natin maski na araw araw yung laro. We decided na let’s finish the whole thing.”

“Everything worked out well sa awa ng Diyos we survived all of these natapos namin yung tournament and everybody at the end of the day was happy na natuloy at natapos,” Palou said.

“As you can see sa mga games maganda naman yung level of play ‘di ba? We’re glad that the teams managed to stay in shape and compete very well against each other.”