MANILA — Former Alas Pilipinas head coach Jorge Souza de Brito has finally received the salaries, bonuses, and incentives owed to him after the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) reached a settlement in their labor dispute.
The development was confirmed by de Brito’s legal counsel, Atty. Rex Enrico Cruz III, who said negotiations between the two parties resulted in the full settlement of the Brazilian coach’s financial claims.
The issue stemmed from months of unpaid compensation that prompted de Brito to seek legal relief before the National Labor Relations Commission after attempts to resolve the matter privately proved unsuccessful.
Progress was made following the submission of position papers before the NLRC. Shortly afterward, a meeting involving de Brito, Cruz, PNVF officials, and the federation’s legal team produced a mutually acceptable agreement.
Cruz described the negotiations as productive, noting that PNVF acting president Frank Lao played a significant role in bringing both sides together and facilitating the settlement. Although the details remain undisclosed, the agreement is expected to conclude the labor case once fully implemented.
Individuals familiar with the negotiations said Lao also initiated an initial payment during the talks as a sign of commitment to resolving the dispute and ensured that all remaining financial obligations were addressed.
The Labor Arbiter will oversee compliance with the agreement until the case is formally dismissed.
The settlement closes a difficult chapter for de Brito, who earlier disclosed that he had gone months without receiving compensation despite leading the Philippine women’s volleyball team to several notable achievements.
Among the highlights of his tenure was steering Alas Pilipinas to a historic bronze-medal finish in the AVC Challenge Cup, a result widely credited with boosting the country’s profile in Asian volleyball.
Now that the dispute has been resolved, the veteran Brazilian coach is set to focus on his duties with Capital1 as the Solar Spikers begin preparations for the PVL on Tour this July.
