Right after powering the Philippines to a historic silver medal finish in the SEA Games, Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas will continue to fly the flag by playing as imports in other countries.
Espejo will debut for the Visakha Volleyball Club in the Thailand League while Bagunas will continue his ongoing stint with Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler in the Japan V. Premier League.
Bagunas, a former UAAP MVP with the NU Bulldogs, took a break from his obligations in Japan to fulfill his national team duties. He arrived in Manila a day before the Philippines' first game in the preliminary stage. He will leave for Japan Wednesday, a few hours after the Philippines' final game against eventual champion Indonesia.
"We have an important game this weekend because it's a home game," said Bagunas. "I need to return to Japan so I can join the team and train with them."
Espejo, on the other hand, will leave for Bangkok on December 15, come back home for the Christmas holidays, and then return to Thailand after the New Year celebrations to help Visakha in its campaign until April.
Espejo, a five-time UAAP MVP with the Ateneo Blue Eagles, was the first Filipino volleyball player to take his talents overseas. Last year, he played with the Weisse Adler -- the same team that signed Bagunas -- before Visakha recruited him for the 2020 season.
Bagunas and Espejo are the Philippines' top spikers who helped the country achieve a momentous feat in the SEA Games. For the first time in 42 years, the Philippines barged into the top two, dethroning the world's 39th-ranked team Thailand along the way.
Coincidentally, Espejo will be starting a career in Thailand after ending the powerhouse team's quest for a five-peat. "They might think of me differently because we defeated Thailand," he joked.
As they continue to showcase Pinoy pride in the international stage, both of them will leave the country extremely proud of what they have accomplished with the Philippine team.
"We were able to give a medal to the Philippines because of volleyball," said Bagunas. "I'm very happy because this silver that the men's volleyball team won will be with me for a lifetime. This will leave a mark in my heart and mind."
"I'm proud of myself and I'm proud of each of us for achieving a podium finish," added Espejo. "What happened is not just for us. This is also for the youth who want to try volleyball, to let them know that there's also a future in men's volleyball."