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Visayas seeks to continue proving that the finest girls’ volleyball players in the Philippines are found in its major island group as two regional dynasties and another worthy champion look forward to fly to Manila for the Rebisco Volleyball League (RVL) National Finals from November 22 to 25 in Mandaluyong.
Defending national champion Bacolod Tay Tung High School will again represent Western Visayas, University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) for Central Visayas, and Linao National High School for Eastern Visayas. These teams are set to represent their respective regions after ruling the regional finals of the biggest 18-and-under women’s volleyball tournament in the country which attracted 480 schools from 10 regions this year.
All eyes are on the Bacolod Tay Tung Thunderbolts, the reigning national champions who seek to prove their victory last year was no fluke. To show how stacked Bacolod Tay Tung lineup is, the Thunderbolts bagged all but two of the individual regional awards.
Ann Francesca Hermosura stood tallest as she was named MVP and Second Best Middle Blocker. Rhea Mae Tomas was adjudged Best Libero, while Jan Rose Bulak was picked Best Setter. Tay Tung also occupied the Best Opposite Attacker and First Best Outside Hitter slots in Joenil Ann Ramos and Camila Amor Bartolome, respectively. St. John’s Institute standouts Eileen Yanson (Second Best Outside Hitter) and Cafra Celois (First Best Middle Blocker) were the two other awardees.
Meanwhile, USJ-R, which captured bronze in the last national finals, likewise went undefeated in this edition of the East Visayas prequalifiers. The Lady Jaguars beat Sumaliring High School, Central Visayan Institute Foundation, and Tanjay National High School in the group stage, took out Cabancalan National High School in the crossover Final Four, before overwhelming Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu in the prequalifying finale. The Lady Jaguars also bested seven other teams in the regional finals.
Rachel Ann Tecson led the way for the Lady Jaguars as she emerged as the regional MVP, while also getting sufficient support from teammates Mary Antoneth Cortes (Best Setter) and Angel Mae Almonia (Second Best Middle Blocker).
Last but not least, Linao National High School, for its part, displayed why it’s worthy to join Visayan powerhouses Bacolod Tay Tung and USJ-R in the national finals after coming out as the last team standing in Eastern Visayas.
In the prequalifiers, the Ormoc-based Linao team beat Liloan National Technical and Vocational High School, Granja Kalinawan National High School, and Calbayog City National High School in the group phase, Wright National High School in the crossover semis, before taking out Leyte National High School in the final. Linao did the same in the eight-team regional finals to become the best East Visayan team.
Mary Joy Aseo shone brightest for Linao, being named MVP as well as First Best Outside Hitter. While she carried the offensive load, teammate Leanah Monique Solis stood as the first line of defense to be named Second Best Middle Blocker.
“Sabi ko nga sa mga teams, especially public schools, ‘Don’t worry, you need not compete sa mga UAAP or NCAA. Meron na tayong Rebisco Volleyball League na instead na kayo ang pupunta, kami ang pupunta para sa inyo dyan. And then you can have a league that you can look forward to each year,” said Buenvenida, who was once a public school coach at Maximo Estrella elementary school for 10 years before moving up the ranks to become an international coach level 1.
RVL commissioner Ysay Marasigan agreed, saying he also wants other provincial teams to shine. “Ang ine-envision ko talaga is ayusin ang operations ng RVL hanggang sa mapalaki namin pa para mas maraming top teams ang makasali. And pag lumipad sila dito for the national finals, talagang magiging magandang laban yun. Makikita natin ang level ng provinces, nasaan yung level ng Manila,” Marasigan said.
“And we can also see kung ano pa yung kailangan i-improve for the lower levels sa Visayas and Mindanao para mapataas pa yung level nila para maging kapantay ng NCR,” the former Ateneo star and current Criss Cross King Crunchers team captain added.
Bacolod Tay Tung, USJ-R, and Linao National High School join Mindanao regional titlists Sto. Niño National High School, Corpus Christi School, and Notre Dame of Dadiangas University in the national finals, while four more spots are up for grabs in the ongoing Luzon regional leg.
About Rebisco Volleyball:
Republic Biscuit Corporation (Rebisco), through its sports marketing arm Action Republic Corporation, is dedicated to advancing volleyball in the Philippines. Through initiatives such as the Rebisco Volleyball League (RVL) and Rebisco Volleyball Academy (RVA), Action Republic supports the development of the sport across all levels—from grassroots and high school to college, professional, and the national team.
Since its establishment in 2009, RVL has served as a pivotal platform, offering young volleyball players opportunities for education and career advancement. Meanwhile, RVA focuses on nurturing volleyball coaches, playing a crucial role in the sport’s long-term growth in the country.
Rebisco proudly sponsors several volleyball teams, including the Philippine National Women’s Team, the men’s and women’s Beach Volleyball Teams, the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) Blue Eagles (both men’s and women’s teams) via its Fudgee brand, and professional squads such as the Creamline Cool Smashers, Choco Mucho Flying Titans, and the Criss Cross King Crunchers.
Through its strong support of volleyball, Rebisco embodies its commitment to giving back to the community, promoting teamwork, discipline, camaraderie, resilience, and optimism, while fostering both physical and mental well-being.
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