For the Alas Pilipinas men’s volleyball team, going hungry at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is more than a figure of speech. Team captain Bryan Bagunas said players have been paying for some of their own meals in Japan because training sessions keep clashing with the hotel’s dining hours.
That was the backdrop when Josh Ybañez went on his Instagram broadcast channel after the Philippines’ 25-16, 27-25, 25-22 loss to South Korea on Sunday, September 27, at Park Arena Komaki. The University of Santo Tomas standout didn’t hold back.
“Talo na nga gutom pa, ano na pinas! jusko HAHAHAHA 😭 kanya kanya na to!!!” Ybañez wrote.
Behind the laughter and crying emojis was a real complaint: the team had just lost, the players were hungry, and they felt left to fend for themselves. In a follow-up message, Ybañez asked whether the squad was worth backing at all.
“Di ba namin deserve supportahan? tanong lang 😭,” he wrote.
His posts matched what Bagunas described in an interview released by POC Media. “Sometimes, we even have to pay for our own lunch,” the captain said in Filipino. Rappler reported that Bagunas said the players have not received their allowances since July. According to that report, some players skipped practices during the team’s buildup because they could not afford to go, and others borrowed money from teammates just to get to training.
Bagunas said the players’ allowance comes from the Philippine Sports Commission, and the players cover every other expense themselves. The Manila Times noted that this conflicts with the account of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF). The federation said its president, Frank Lao, personally gave the men’s team allowances before they left for Japan.
The PNVF has since apologized. It acknowledged that athletes had to shoulder their own expenses and, in some cases, borrow money. “This is a situation that no National Athlete should ever have to endure,” the federation said. It also admitted that its efforts so far have fallen short: “Nevertheless, we agree with Mr. Bagunas. These efforts are not enough.” The federation is also seeking reinstatement after being suspended in May.
On the court, the Filipinos stayed with the three-time Asian Games champions in the last two sets. They held set point twice in the extended second frame but could not convert it. BusinessMirror reported that errors were the difference, with the Philippines committing 23 against South Korea’s seven. Alas faces China on Monday, September 28, in Pool D, where only the top two teams advance to the quarterfinals.
Ybañez made it clear the complaints were not meant to explain away the result.
“We’re not speaking up to make excuses for that loss earlier or para i-justify ang pag underperform, hehe. We are always trying our best to play according to what we have. Preparation wise? Tagilid talaga kami jan,” he said.
