MANILA, Philippines – Four men's and four women's teams will represent the Philippines when the main draw of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Manila Open kicks off on Friday morning at the Sands SM By the Bay.

The Filipinos will compete against higher-ranked teams who are in town for the Manila leg of the FIVB World Tour, which officially started on Thursday with the men's qualifiers.

The Filipino teams were seeded automatically to the main draw.

In the men's division, the Philippines will be represented by the pairs of KR Guzman and Henry Pecaña, Jade Becaldo and Calvin Sarte, Ranran Abdilla and Edwin Tolentino, and Raphy Abanto and John Kevin Juban.

Meanwhile, the women's teams are: Sisi Rondina and Dzi Gervacio, Jackielyn Estoquia and Dhannylaine Demontaño, Charo Soriano and Bea Tan, and Lourdilyn Catubag and Karen Kay Quilario.

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"The thing about beach volleyball, it's a very cerebral sport so you need to be smart and quick on the sand. I think we have that," said Tan, also one of the founders of Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR), which brought the FIVB event to the Philippines for the first time ever.

"We have a different style of play," she added, explaining that Filipinos tend to mirror the Japanese style of play featuring quick sets and quick defensive patterns.

It will be interesting to test that style against the foreign teams, most of whom are from European countries, said Tan. "These bigger teams from abroad are 6-foot-7, 6-foot-3, and they set really high and hit really quick," she said.

"I think it's very interesting to be able to see for the first time these Filipino players, playing against the tough teams from the FIVB," she added.

Seeded first in the women's division is the Paraguay pair of Michelle Sharon Valiente Amarilla and Erika Sofia Mongelos Bobadilla.

Meanwhile, in the men's division the favorites are Sweden's Martin Appelgren and Simon Boman.

At stake in the tournament is the top prize of $10,000 as well as ranking points in the World Tour.

"Ilalaban namin ang bandera ng Pilipinas," guaranteed Rondina, a three-time beach volleyball champion in the UAAP who also reached the quarterfinals of last year's 29th Southeast Asian Beach Volleyball Championships in Singapore together with Bernadeth Pons.

Action starts at 8 a.m.

The round-of-12 and quarterfinals are scheduled on Saturday, with the semifinals and finals on Sunday.

For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.