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| First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (4th from right) has vowed to fully support the country's hosting of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship during the organizational meeting held in Malacañang last April 30, 2024. With the First Lady are presidential son William Vincent Araneta Marcos (5th from right) and (from left) Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) vice president Ricky Palou and secretary-general Donaldo Caringal, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Volleyball World CEO Finn Taylor, PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara and national player Bryan Bagunas. (Image Source: Philippine News Agency/Philippine National Volleyball Federation) |
The Philippines’ solo hosting of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025 took one giant stride after First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, beloved wife of His Excellency Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., vowed her full support during an historic organizational meeting recently held last April 30, 2024 in her office at the PMS Building situated within Malacañang Palace in Manila. “The First Lady readily gave her full support to the country’s solo hosting of the world championship. She’s so enthusiastic about the event and showed everyone in the room her love for sports,” said Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) President Ramon "Tats" Suzara.
In firming up Malacanang’s support, the First Lady asked youngest Presidential son William Vincent Araneta Marcos to take part in the meeting that also set the foundation of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 32-nation world championship slated to be held on September 12-28, 2024 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and SM Mall of Asia Arena. It was one significant meeting that practically nailed all hinges for a smooth and best-ever hosting of the now biennial competition with Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco providing a general brief on the world championship that will be hosted only for the second time by an Asian country after Japan in 1998 and 2006.
“For the first time in several years, we’ll host the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship Philippines 2025. All systems are now off and running and we’re bound to become the best host ever for the world championship,” said Senator Cayetano, who is also the chairman emeritus of the PNVF. Cayetano also emphasized the need for all available channels to cover for wider reach of the global event. Aside from the First Lady, PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and MediaQuest Group's Cignal TV Inc. (Cignal) have also announced their full support towards the country's hosting of the prestigious global volleyball tournament as the event's official broadband internet provider and official broadcast media partner, respectively. Drawing parallels to the successful hosting of previous international sporting events like the 2019 SouthEast Asian Games and the 2023 FIBA Championship, Cayetano remarked that this will also be another opportunity for the Philippines to shine on the global stage. “We are still known worldwide as the most hospitable people. I’m talking about how we, as a nation, welcome the rest of the world,” he said.
Meanwhile, Secretary Frasco assured the DOT’s comprehensive and encompassing support to the event, saying, “The DOT will form a consortium for attractive packages for fans — foreign and local — with all efforts bordering on our “Love The Philippines” campaign." Also present in the meeting were Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann, Volleyball World CEO Finn Taylor, PNVF Vice President Ricky Palou and Secretary General Donaldo Caringal, and national men's volleyball team member Bryan Bagunas. Volleyball has rapidly grown in popularity in the Philippines over the past few years with a passionate fanbase supporting highly competitive leagues such as Spikers’ Turf, Premier Volleyball League (PVL), and Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League. The Philippines is now processing the gruelling selection of who will comprise the national men's volleyball team set to compete in one of the world's most prestigious volleyball tournaments.
