Filipino spikers launch Alas Invitationals bid vs Indonesian team

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas gets to showcase its level of preparedness for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship (FIVB MWCH) Philippines 2025 in the Alas Pilipinas Invitationals, which kicks off Tuesday, June 10, with the national team plunging into action in the flesh before Filipino fans against Indonesia club Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“In the flesh and 94 days before the world championship,” Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) President Ramon “Tats” Suzara said at Monday's press conference announcing the PNVF’s partnership with Republic Biscuit Corporation (Rebisco) in the three-day, four-team Invitationals at the Novotel Hotel in Araneta City Cubao.

The Invitationals invigorates Rebisco’s active sponsorship of the 32-nation FIVB MWCH set September 12 to 28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and Mall of Asia Arena.

Alas Pilipinas squares off with the Indonesians in the 7:30 p.m. main match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum right after the Hyundai Capital Skywalkers of South Korea and Thailand National Team clash at 4 p.m.

“As proud sponsors of the Men’s Volleyball World Championship, we at Rebisco, together with the PNVF, fully support the continued development and popularity of volleyball among Filipinos,” said Rebisco vice chairman Jonathan Ng.

“We see the sport as a vehicle of inspiration for our countrymen to be the best that they can be,” Ng said. “The values of hard work, discipline, sportsmanship, integrity, and dedication that our players display can be applied to all aspects of Filipino life.”

Also present were PNVF vice president Ricky Palou and secretary-general Don Caringal, Action Republic Corp. president Rollie Delfino and Field Sales Operations head Alandel Acero, Alas Pilipinas captain Bryan Bagunas and fellow FIVB MWCH ambassador Alyssa Valdez.

With them were the coaches headed by Alas Pilipinas’s Angiolino Frigoni and captains of the participating teams in the event supported by Smart, PLDT Home, Meralco, Metro Pacific, PAGCOR, LRTA, Maynilad, DOOH, RMN Ibis Styles Manila and Smart Araneta Coliseum.

On Wednesday in the Invitationals are the matches between Thailand and Jakarta at 4 p.m. and Alas Pilipinas at 7:30 p.m. and on Thursday, it will be Jakarta against Hyundai at 4 p.m. and Alas Pilipinas against Thailand at 7:30 p.m.

Thailand is coached by Park Ki Won with Amornthep Khonhan as captain, Hyundai has Fabio Storti and Tae Jun Jeong and Jakarta has Reidel Alfonso Gonzares Toiran and Nizar Julfikar Munawar.