MANILA, Philippines -- Volleyball superstar Alyssa Valdez on Tuesday said she was "very happy" about the formation of the new national sports association (NSA) for volleyball, following elections supervised by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) last week.

Ramon "Tats" Suzara was elected president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), while Sports Vision president Ricky Palou, Tony Boy Liao, and Beach Volleyball Republic founder Charo Soriano were all elected to the board.

Liao was the team manager of the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles during Valdez's time with the team, where she led them to two UAAP titles, while Palou was Ateneo's athletic director at the time. Soriano also played for Ateneo, leading the Lady Eagles to the Final 4 in Season 70 wherein she was also the UAAP's Best Scorer.

"Very happy (about the new federation)," said Valdez during an appearance on the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday morning.

"Siyempre, as of the moment, I'm actually looking forward to have games na rin, and hopefully, makatulong 'yung bagong federation natin to get us going," she added. "So 'yun lang naman."

• READ: Tats Suzara elected as president of volleyball NSA

Volleyball, like many sports, came to a standstill in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Premier Volleyball League (PVL), where Valdez plays for Creamline, did not hold a single conference last year. The Philippine Superliga, meanwhile, managed a few games in its Grand Prix before eventually cancelling the competition as well.

The PVL is set to begin in April, in a bubble setting, after having gone pro in late 2020. Based on the tripartite agreement among the Philippine Sports Commission, the Games and Amusements Board, and the Department of Health, only professional leagues can hold events, and only in low-risk areas.

It thus remains to be seen how other leagues -- including the Philippine Superliga and the Spikers' Turf -- will progress in 2021 as both have yet to turn professional.

Valdez, who is also the president of Spikers' Turf, said she hopes the men's league will also turn professional this year.

"We're talking also within the group kung ano ang mga plans for Spiker's Turf," she said. "Hopefully, maging pro na rin, so if ever makatuloy na rin tayo ng mga games."

In the meantime, Valdez said they are waiting for the new federation to announce its concrete programs. The PNVF is expected to attend the FIVB World Congress later this week, where it will likely be recognized as the official national federation for volleyball in the Philippines.

"We're looking forward sa meeting nila and sa mga future na mga statements na ibibigay nila for all of us," Valdez said of the federation.

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