Alas Pilipinas captain Jia de Guzman. PVL Media Bureau/file photo

MANILA, Philippines – Alas Pilipinas captain Jia de Guzman is gearing up for the 2025 season with the national team.

De Guzman has returned to the country to lead the women's national volleyball team once more, as it is set to join three significant competitions this year — the AVC Women's Volleyball Nations Cup, the Southeast Asian V. League, and the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.

READ: Jia de Guzman to exit Denso Airybees, shifts focus to Alas Pilipinas

There may be some pressure to perform better this year after snagging several bronze medals last year, De Guzman acknowledged, while sharing that "they need more time" to get ready for the upcoming contests.

"Siyempre there's a little bit... there's some pressure this year kasi we got bronze medals last year pero we're starting from zero again kasi naghihiwa-hiwalay kami. And we need more time to prepare," said De Guzman.

The national team captain said she's hoping for more players to join the pool, especially after the conclusion of the UAAP.

Among those who were in Philippine National Volleyball Federation's wishlist for Alas are National University's Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon, and De La Salle University's Angel Canino and Shevana Laput.

READ: 33 athletes to be invited for Alas Pilipinas Women tryouts

"And right now, our first tournament is coming up, it's in June 7, the AVC Cup, and ngayon we're also expecting girls from UAAP, so hindi namin alam kung kailan kami makukumpleto. Right now we're 12, 13 na nagte-train together and hopefully madagdagan."

De Guzman said she continues to remind the girls to "take it day by day" and absorb coach Jorge de Brito's system.

She also said that she hopes for more medals this year with Alas Pilipinas.

READ: Van Sickle, Phillips 'waiting patiently and hoping' to represent Philippines with Alas Women

"'Yun lang. We're reminding all the girls na take it day by day, 'yung pag-training namin, just focus on coach's system talaga. And hopefully we get more wins and medals sana this year."

The former Denso Airybees setter returned to training on Thursday, as she promised yesterday, expressing excitement in seeing Season 87 super rookie Shaina Nitura, among others.

"I wanna go to training na so bukas [today] pupunta na 'ko kasi I saw nga na marami nang bagong dumating, sina Shaina and everyone," she said.