PHILIPPINE volleyball has a stern believer in Rebisco, the biscuit and snack food firm said.
A major supporter of the national men’s and women’s teams, Rebisco is glad and honored to be given an opportunity to do its share in keeping volleyball in the country alive notwithstanding the prevailing conditions with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Most recently, Rebisco, in partnership with the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), backed the campaigns of the country’s squads in the 2021 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Club Championship in Thailand as part of PNVF’s national team development program.
And while the men’s and women’s teams had it rough in the Thailand competition, finishing out of a podium placing, Rebisco is still of the belief that going through such is part of an arduous journey and that it is “a great opportunity for our local athletes to get the all-important foreign exposure that will hone their game.”
In the Club Championship, Rebisco supported all three teams — two for women and one for men — that the PNVF fielded.
Chuco Mucho and Rebisco women finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the seven-team field while the Rebisco men ended up at ninth in the 10-team competition.
Rebisco and the national team are moving on and preparing for more activities and competitions to participate in, including next year’s Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, where the country is looking to do well in the sport.
In the last edition of the SEA Games in 2019 held in the country, the men’s team broke through with a silver medal finish while the women’s team had its struggles in finishing fourth, but showed promise and competed nonetheless.
“Our dream is to help the PNVF grow the sport and make this game an expression of the Filipino soul, locally and internationally. Our long-term goal is to make the Philippines a recognized international power in volleyball,” Mr. Ng said.
Part of Rebisco’s three-year partnership with the PNVF involves providing regular funding to enable participation in different competitions.
WINNING NOTE
Meanwhile, while the Rebisco men’s team had a tough campaign in the AVC Club Championship, it did not stop it from salvaging pride by winning its final game on Wednesday to avoid landing at the bottom of the standings.
The Philippine team defeated Sri Lanka’s CEB Sports Club in five sets, 25-14, 22-25, 25-18, 21-25, 15-11, in the ninth place game at the Terminal 21 competition hall in Nakhon Ratchasima.
Jao Umandal capped a tournament-long impressive showing by scoring 28 points, including a kill that sealed the Filipinos’ victory. He also had five blocks and three service aces.
“This is our first exposure and we hope to become better for the next edition,” national team head coach Dante Alinsunurin said of their outing which saw them go 1-4 in five total matches.
“We are hopeful for the continued rise of the level of Philippine volleyball on its return to the international scene,” he added.
It was the Philippines’ third appearance in the men’s continental club competition and the first since the country, represented by Cignal HD, finished 12th in 2015 in Chinese-Taipei.
The Philippines booked its best finish in the Manila 2014 edition where PLDT placed seventh. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo