Philippine Esports Organization (PESO) Executive Director Marlon Marcelo is optimistic about the future of SIBOL’s Honor of Kings and all-female Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) teams after their respective stints in the China-ASEAN Esports Competition last week.
SIBOL, powered by SMART, fielded a roster composed of players from BOOM Esports and Execration for the Honor of Kings competition.
Meanwhile, the Esports World Cup-winning Omega Empress, along with a standout from ZOL Esports FE, headlined the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang squad.
The participation marked a significant milestone for the national teams, with Philippine Airlines providing flight accommodations.
For the first time since Honor of Kings became available in the Philippines last June, SIBOL sent a team to compete internationally.
Despite it being their debut, the squad showed remarkable poise. They earned the bronze medal after a grueling three-game series victory against Indonesia, which was hindered by technical issues and lengthy delays.
“The future is bright for our SIBOL Honor of Kings team after securing the bronze. We are moving in the right direction as we aim for success in yet another game title,” said Marcelo.
SIBOL’s Honor of Kings team began their tournament run with an impressive performance in the group stage, defeating both Thailand and Brunei. However, they faced a setback when they lost to the eventual champions and host squad, China.
Entering the semifinals as the No. 2 seed, the Philippines, supported by Predator, faced LGD Gaming MY-backed Malaysia. Unfortunately, the team suffered a heartbreaking sweep.
The SIBOL Honor of Kings lineup featured team captain Miguel “Miggie” Banaag, Dragon Hard “Dragon” Dajao, Audrey “Ajizix” Cedro, John Lloyd “Impressive” Dela Cruz, Eleazar “Azar” Salle, and coach Christian “Ciiyan” Villegas – all from BOOM Esports – along with Karl Ken “Karlll” Bautista of Execration.
On the other hand, SIBOL’s all-female Mobile Legends: Bang Bang team faced tough competition in their first open tournament.
Despite their efforts, they were eliminated in the group stage after losses to male teams from Cambodia and China, represented by MPL KH team CFU Gaming and top Chinese squad Xianyou Gaming, respectively.
Despite the early exit, Marcelo emphasized the value of the experience, noting that facing male counterparts was an important step in bridging the gender skill gap in esports.
“For our MLBB team, this is a learning experience in how to approach an open-category tournament and the nuances associated with it,” said Marcelo.
The delegation also included SIBOL General Manager Jab Escutin, team manager Jeff Victoriano, head coach Ralph Llabres, project manager Victor Cabuay, and correspondent Manjean Faldas.
The all-female SIBOL MLBB team was led by captain Mery “Meeray” Vivero, with Sheen “Shinoa” Perez, Gwyneth “Ayanami” Diagon, Kaye “Keishi” Alpuerto, and Rica Fatima “Amoree” Amores, under the guidance of coach Salman “King Salman” Macarambon from Omega Empress. Lhoureian “Rianne” Alcaraz of ZOL Esports FE rounded out the squad.
Marcelo extended his gratitude to Philippine Airlines for their flight accommodations, as well as to Premier partners SMART and Predator. He also acknowledged the support of the Philippine Sports Committee under Chairman Dickie Bachmann and Commissioner Walter Torres.
“Our heartfelt thanks to Philippine Airlines for providing us with a solid flight experience, along with our Premier partners Smart and Predator. We also extend our gratitude to the Philippine Sports Committee under Chairman Dickie Bachmann and Commissioner Walter Torres for their support,” Marcelo expressed.
