November 12, 2025 | 11:49am
MANILA, Philippines — Just two days after celebrating his 21st birthday, Alas Pilipinas player Ike Barilea passed away, the Philippine national volleyball team announced Tuesday.
Barilea turned 21 on November 9. The cause of his death was not bared.
“The court feels emptier, and our hearts heavier. Rest easy, ALAS IKE BARILEA,” the team posted on Facebook.
“Thank you for the laughter, the memories, and the heart you gave to the team. Heaven gained an angel, but we lost a piece of ours. Fly high, our dear ALAS,” it added.
Barilea, a promising spiker from Negros, got into the limelight after his performance in the 2025 U21 National Finals, where he led the 1Silay Volleyball Club to a bronze medal finish.
This, then, led him to be called up to the initial Alas Pilipinas men pool for the 2025 FIVB men’s world championship.
However, he did not make the team.
Still, Barilea played both locally and internationally, seeing action for Santa Rosa City in the 2022 Spikers’ Turf and the 2025 AVC Men’s Champions League in Japan with Cignal.
“Friends, teammates, and fans remember him as a dedicated athlete whose passion, energy, and commitment left a mark on Philippine volleyball,” Spikers’ Turf said in a statement on its website.