Women’s month may have just ended, but Gilas Women’s continues to ball out on the international stage. 

Gilas Women’s went through the gauntlet, facing higher seeds and bigger programs in Mongolia and Japan. Their two losses in the competition came against the vaunted Australia program, whose success makes it feel as if they’re the perpetual champions of the competition. 

The elements of Puso that often get associated with the Gilas Men’s program were evident in Gilas Women’s historical silver-medal finish: Gilas Women’s faced height and some skill disadvantages, but they were able to combat these with familiarity and hard work. 

Familiarity is a key element that has been essential to Gilas Women’s success in recent years. There haven’t been drastic changes to the personnel and the steady stream of talent has been helpful in maintaining continuity as the new generation takes on a larger role in the program. But their identity as a hardworking group remains and it has helped them overcome adversity. 

In this case, a 3×3 program that greatly relied on Jack Animam can now count on two-time UAAP MVP Kacey Dela Rosa to make big plays on both ends of the floor. 

Afril Bernardino has been one of the longest tenured players with the Gilas Women’s program and she continues to be a valuable contributor regardless of the circumstances she finds herself in. She’s been a winner at various levels locally and even at the international stage and it’s no surprise she continues to be the one to lead the Gilas Women’s program to greater heights. 

All things considered, the building blocks are present. The rest of the Gilas Women’s pool, if we were to include those from the 5×5 roster, is deep and young to sustain their success. Many of the players continue to fit the program’s current system and unlike the Gilas Men’s program, Gilas Women’s is relatively insulated from commitment issues surrounding players from overseas leagues. 

Of course, it would be great to have players venture outside the comforts of home and prove that Filipinas belong in bigger stages. But having a domestic league helps develop the local scene and uplifts women’s basketball overall. At the moment, though, some underlying issues are coming to light and resolving them now would prevent the erasure of the gains of today. 

Nonetheless, the Gilas Women’s program remains as strong as ever and the fruits of letting the team blossom into one of the region’s best squads is bearing fruit in the 3×3 level. Their story continues to be written and the future is bright for the Filipina.