MANILA — Alyssa Valdez has promised to try out for the Philippine women’s national team that will compete in the Southeast Asian Games in August, according to officials of the Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas.

Peter Cayco, the volleyball federation's acting president, said he spoke with Valdez a day before the 2016 UAAP Most Valuable Player flew to Thailand where she will play for the 3BB Nakornnont club.

“Ang sinabi nya sa amin, may mga breaks sila mga 2, 3 days. Uuwi daw siya para mag-try out,” said Cayco during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum, which was also attended by national team coaches Francis Vicente, Sammy Acaylar and LVPI official Joey Romasanta.

“Nag-usap kami at sinabi ko sa kanya na ang instruction ng coach ay no special treatment, no superstars. But we'd love to have you on the team if you really want to join the team.”

(She'll come home to try out. We told her that the coach's instruction is no special treatment, no superstars.)

Vicente, the newly appointed coach for the women’s national team, said Valdez will have to go through the selection process.

Vicente discovered Valdez in Batangas and brought her along with Kim Fajardo to the University of Santo Tomas girls’ team. Together with sisters Dindin and Jaja Santiago, they won three consecutive UAAP titles.

“Unfair naman doon sa iba, tulad ni Myla Pablo, Gretchel Soltones (if she won’t go through the tryouts),” said Vicente. “So para ‘di naman mabansagan na may kinikilingan kami, she has to go through the process.

“I respect the talent . . . but no special treatment.”

Vicente said they will hold tryouts in Manila from January 28 to 31, then in Cebu and Davao in February. They will announce the official roster in the last week of February.

He added that Valdez can go through the tryouts then fulfill her contract in Thailand before fully committing herself to the national team.

"Kung gusto nyang bumalik sa Thailand tatapusin nya ang contract doon, pero pag-uwi nya i-commit nya ang sarili nya for the national team," he said.

(If Valdez wants to go back to Thailand she will honor her contract, but when she comes back here, she needs to commit herself to the national team.)

The team will compete in the Asian Under-23 Championship and Asian Senior Championship, before they mix it up in the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur in August.

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