The
Philippine National Volleyball training pools are currently working hard to
bring their A-game in this year’s Southeast Asian Games to be held in the Philippines
this coming November. Whatever the final line-ups will be, the men’s and
women’s teams will continue a storied tradition of volleyball excellence when
they step on the court to represent our country.
Current
volleyball fans may be familiar with today’s collegiate and professional stars,
but did you know that the Philippines has produced top players for decades?
Philippine volleyball has had quite the glorious history, thanks to the
contributions of these five legendary volleybelles:
The
Philippines has been a superpower in volleyball, especially on the women’s
side, ever since it was introduced to the SEA Games in 1977, with the Women’s
National Volleyball team ranking second behind Thailand in gold medals won.
Those
powerhouse teams were fronted by the likes of Nene Ybanez-Chavez, the 6’1” legend
from Southwestern University in Cebu who helped the Philippines dominate the
SEA Games in the early ‘90s. She’s best known for leading the women’s team to
its last SEA gold in the 1993 games in Singapore, earning the MVP and Best
Spiker honors along the way. Possessing extraordinary endurance in the sport, Ybanez-Chavez
played competitively until 2013, and now continues to make her mark in
Philippine volleyball by coaching a team in the Philippine Super Liga
professional league.
The mother
of the famous Ravena phenoms in Philippine basketball is a former volleyball
champion in her own right. Mozzy Crisologo-Ravena, the volleyball
analyst/sportscaster and University of Santo Tomas alumna, was a two-time UAAP
volleyball champion from 1988 to 1992. She also represented the country as a
part of the Philippine Youth team in 1988 and the seniors’ team from 1988 to
1989. Today, her legacy lives on through her daughter Dani Ravena, who plays
volleyball for the Ateneo Lady Eagles.
 |
Mary Jean
Balse-Pabayo
Before
Philippine volleyball went mainstream via the collegiate scene, there was Mary
Jean Balse-Pabayo, holding up the sport in the country. Balse-Pabayo, from
Tagum City, Davao del Norte, is another champion UST alumna and one of the
players who carried the Philippines to a bronze medal in the 2005 SEA Games.
Balse-Pabayo is still going strong today, currently playing for the Philippine
Army Lady Troopers in the Philippine Super Liga and also the Premier Volleyball
League, where she is a two-time champion.
 |
| Tna Salak |
One of the
sport’s most successful players, Tina Salak has a storied career representing
the country as part of the national team for many years, with huge wins such as
the silver finish in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1995 and bronze in Manila in 2005.
She also competed in the 2015 SEA Games held in Singapore.
Salak also
has a rich professional career, with 10 seasons logged in the Shakey’s V-League
and the Philippine Super Liga, where she won five championships and six medals
with the Philippine Army Lady Troopers. She’s since retired, going on to work
as a coach in the PSL.
One of
Philippine volleyball’s contemporary stars, Angeli Tabaquero is a renowned
collegiate champion, having won titles as part of the UST Golden Tigresses.
Tabaquero also represented the country as a member of the Philippine National Team
in the 2013 Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship, and as part of the PLDT Home Tvolution national team in
another stint in the 2014 Asian Club Championship. An unfortunate injury forced
her to retire in 2016 and become a coach for the Adamson Lady Falcons.
The road
to the 2019 SEA Games continues
The
Philippine Men’s and Women’s National Volleyball Team will compete against the
rest of the region from November 28 to December 10 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium
in the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila. The athletic firepower of current
volleyball stars like Alyssa Valdez and Aby Marano brings bright prospects in
making the Philippines a regional powerhouse in the international volleyball
scene once again.
With the steadfast
support of organizations and companies like Rebisco, the national teams will be
looking to bring pride and glory to the Philippines when they give their all on
the court. Together, Filipinos will again cheer for the national team fighting
as Sambansa – or one nation – under the colors of our flag.
Rebisco
has been a proponent of Philippine volleyball and various organizations and
leagues that comprise it. Aside from supporting the Philippine national team in
this year’s SEA Games, Rebisco has also backed the Philippine
Women’s Volleyball Team in the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia. The
company is also committed to developing the future of the sport with the
newly-launched 18-and-under Rebisco Volleyball League.
For more
info and updates on the Philippine National Volleyball Team, follow Rebisco
Pilipinas on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @RebiscoSambansa.
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