After five championships in the Philippine Super Liga and a gold finish in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions League, F2 Logistics has finally called it quits.
F2 announced on Wednesday, December 13, that they are officially putting “a halt” to the Cargo Movers and shifting their focus to the grassroots development of volleyball.
“Time has not been good to us. A number of injuries to our players forced us to take slower steps, prioritizing health over victories in the past few years,” the team said in a statement posted on their social media accounts.
“We give our utmost thanks to the coaching staff who have fought and tried to make this team stronger. We would most like to thank coach Ramil [de Jesus], for continuously heading the team,” they added.
After two years of competing in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), their best ending was only in the first All-Filipino Conference after a podium finish.
The Cargo Movers slumped to a 4-7 record in the second All-Filipino Conference, which turned out to be their final participation in the PVL. It is also their worst output in professional volleyball, ending in eighth place.
On November 30, its rookie star Jolina dela Cruz also injured her leg after a bad fall in their match against PLDT.
The team said that they are now “shift[ing] their focus to the grassroots,” and vowed that they are still “committed to supporting the growth of Philippine volleyball.”
In particular, F2 Logistics will continue to back the De La Salle Lady Spikers and will expand their support to the University of Perpetual Help.
“We extend our sincerest appreciation to the [PVL] and the Philippine Super Liga for providing a platform that allowed us to showcase the talent and dedication of our athletes. These leagues have been instrumental in fostering the growth of volleyball in the Philippines, and we are truly grateful for the support and camaraderie we have experienced,” they said.
It was not immediately clear where F2’s players would be headed upon the team’s disbandment.
The PVL acknowledged F2 Logistics’ decision in a statement released late Wednesday night.
“Their presence in the league was marked by intense competition, delivering exciting matches and creating countless memories for our fans. We express our gratitude to F2 Logistics for their dedication to the league and Philippine volleyball,” the league said.
“Thank you, F2 Logistics, for your significant contribution to the [PVL],” it added.
PVL president Ricky Palou told ABS-CBN News that the F2 Logistics management did not give a reason for their disbandment, only saying that they “would no longer participate in the PVL.”
“I guess the disbandment of the F2 Logistics volleyball team opens the door for another team to come in,” Palou also said.
Reacting to the painful development, Abigail Maraño expressed her despair in a series of Instagram posts.
“I never thought this day would come, but here we are! It was an honor to work in this company and get to play the sport that I love with the sisters I never had. Closing [these] eight long years that we had together was tough,” the two-time UAAP MVP said.
Maraño also referenced a Taylor Swift song, “Long Live” (2010), in another post, as she bid farewell to her team for eight years.
Netizens were quick to comfort Maraño in the comment section as she and the likes of Ara Galang, Jolina dela Cruz, Ivy Lacsina, and the rest would have to find another volleyball home for the next conference.
Setter Kim Fajardo also paid tribute to F2 a day before the announcement.
“Best stories? It’s always the hard ones,” she said. (ABS-CBN News)