Alas Pilipinas women’s middle blocker Mereophe “Fifi” Sharma has appealed for greater understanding of the challenges faced by national team athletes, saying the sacrifices involved in representing the Philippines often extend well beyond competition.
Sharma shared her perspective on social media following recent revelations about the financial difficulties encountered by the Alas Pilipinas teams during their Asian Games campaign.
The national team player pointed out that even the daily cost of getting to training can become a significant burden, particularly for athletes who must travel regularly without guaranteed financial support.
“I’m super saddened by how some people belittle the battles of athletes. Lalo pa those who work in sports.” — Fifi 🥹🥹 pic.twitter.com/FAXOcSRTeK
— gill (@shanereterta) September 29, 2026
“Grabe guys no, you won’t know how it feels until you’re in their position,” Sharma wrote. “I come from Mandaluyong and we train in [Quezon City], getting a Grab everyday to practice for a week would cost me 6-8k. Per week.”
“When we trained, maulan pa. So sometimes, naabot pa ng P700 per trip,” the Akari Power Chargers veteran added. “It’s a sacrifice I can afford to make by the grace of God.”
While she said she could shoulder those costs, Sharma stressed that other members of the national team have different financial circumstances.
“Some players take Angkas pa sa’min before kahit sobrang lakas na ulan. And others are students pa na ‘di naman employed like the rest of us,” she said.
Sharma also raised concerns about the financial situation of some male national team players during periods when they are not competing.
“Our men’s players sometimes don’t get their full salary if off season,” she said.
Her remarks came after Alas Pilipinas men’s player Bryan Bagunas publicly discussed financial concerns involving the national teams during the Asian Games, including issues related to allowances and other expenses.
For Sharma, the public often sees only the finished product when athletes compete in Philippine colors, without seeing the sacrifices required to reach that stage.
“A little bit of empathy goes a long, long way. I’m super saddened by how some people belittle the battles of athletes. Lalo pa those who work in sports. Nakaka-sad naman,” she said.
Sharma’s comments highlighted the day-to-day financial pressures that can accompany national team duty, particularly for athletes who are students or do not have stable sources of income outside their sporting careers. (Adrian Co)
