Team Sibol bags two gold medals and two silver medals

Mobile services provider and staunch esports supporter Smart Communications, Inc (Smart) lauded Philippine esports team SIBOL for bagging two gold medals and two silver medals at the recently concluded 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam. 

With their medals, SIBOL placed third in the esports division with Vietnam at the top spot followed by Indonesia. 

SIBOL fielded a total of 54 esports athletes across 10 events for titles such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, FIFA Online 4, Crossfire, Free Fire, League of Legends (Wild Rift, PC), and PlayersUnknownBattlegrounds (PUBG).

 “We at Smart congratulate SIBOL for their momentous feat in the SEA Games. Their dedication and perseverance are undeniable as they brought honor and pride to our country. We hope that more young Filipinos follow their footsteps and pursuing their passions with purpose," said Jane J. Basas, Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.

Back-to-Back Gold for Team Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and League of Legends: Wild Rift 

SIBOL snagged two gold medals in their match for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and League of Legends: Wild Rift. 

SIBOL's Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Team has proven again that they are kings of Southeast Asia as they beat Indonesia in a 3-1 match. The team is composed of Johnmar "OhMyV33nus" Villaluna, Danerie James "Wise" Del Rosario, Kyle Dominic “Dominic” Soto, Salic Alauya “Hadji” Imam, Lee Howard “Owl” Gonzales, Dexstar Louise “DEX STAR” Cruz Alaba and Russel Aaron “Eyon” Usi. 

On the other hand, SIBOL's all-women League of Legends: Wild Rift team took home the country's first gold medal for esports after dominating the finals against Singapore with 3-0. The team members are Charize “Yugen” Doble, Gianna “Jeeya” Llanes, Christine “Ray Ray” Natividad, Rose Ann “Hell Girl” Robles, and Angel Danica “Angelailaila” Lozada.

Meanwhile, SIBOL’s League of Legends (PC) and Crossfire teams delivered the silver medals for the PH. Both teams went up against Vietnam in the finals.  

The biggest supporter of Philippine esports

Smart's support for SIBOL is part of its longstanding commitment to the growth of Philippine esports by partnering with game creators and esports tournament organizers here and abroad, including the recent such as Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Seasons and Liga Adarna, the first female esports tournament in the country.

 Aside from organizing the country's biggest esports events and backing Filipino esports athletes, Smart also supports gamers with relevant data offers and services to level up their gameplay.

 "SIBOL's journey to the 31st SEA Games would not be possible without the generous support of Smart, along with our other partners, who share our belief that Filipinos have what it takes to dominate the global esports stage. We are grateful to Smart and look forward to a brighter esports future with their continued support," said Brian Lim, PESO President.

 Level up with GIGA Games, GIGA Arena

 Earlier this year, Smart launched the enhanced GIGA Games, which now includes data for PUBGM, on top of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Facebook Gaming, and many more. 

 Smart Prepaid and TNT subscribers can conveniently register to GIGA Games via the GigaLife App, which is available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Huawei Mobile Services. Customers may also avail of GIGA Games by dialing *123#.

 Smart also recently launched GIGA Arena, the country's first all-in-one esports platform that aims to simply bring the total esports experience to mobile gamers who are looking to test their skills on Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, League of Legends: WildRift, PUBG and Call of Duty Mobile.

 To join Smart GIGA Arena, subscribers can simply go to gigaarena.smart and create an account using their Smart or TNT mobile number. To join ongoing tournaments, users need to use Giga Arena tickets, which they can earn and accumulate every time they register to GIGA Games data packs on the GigaLife App or by dialing *123#

 Philippines’ fastest 5G mobile network

Smart subscribers enjoy leveled-up gaming experiences powered by Smart, the Philippines’ fastest 5G mobile network according to Ookla, the global leader in mobile and broadband network intelligence.

 Know more about how Smart enables subscribers to level up their gameplay by visiting https://smart.com.ph/Prepaid/whats-new/gigagames. 

Sibol officially kicks off its 31st SEA Games in Hanoi

Philippine national esports team, Sibol, officially kicks off its campaign en route to the 31st SEA Games set to take place in Hanoi from May 12 to May 23, 2022.

 

After weeks of tryouts, Sibol completed its roster last February 2022 with a total of 55 athletes and 9 coaches vying for the gold slate at the upcoming biennial regional sports event. Powered by Smart, Sibol debuted in the 30th SEA Games and has since then secured other major sponsors including PLDT, TV5, Cignal, and Realme as of this writing.

 

In a press briefing hosted by the Philippine Esports Organization (PeSO), the team unveiled its new logo, a first look at the official jersey, and its slogan, “Lakad Matatag.” This battle cry was taken from PeSO Executive Director Marlon “Lon” Marcelo’s globally famous caster call from a Dota2 match. 

PeSO is the country’s national governing body for esports. It has been a member of the International Esports Federation (IESF) since 2012 and an associate member of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) since 2020.

 

PeSO also gave a sneak peek at the athlete roster during the press briefing. In attendance were Kristoffer Ed L. Ricaplaza - MLBB World Champion Coach, Christine Ray Roque Natividad - Wildrift No.1 Female team SEA, Angel Danica Quiros Lozada - Wildrift No.1 Female Team SEA, Dennis O. Ramos Jr. - CrossFire FPS game, Ralph Andrei M. Llabres - SIBOL Overall Head Coach, and Jabs Escutin - Sibol General Manager.

 

Sibol is set to introduce its complete team within the next few weeks who will be competing in all 10 esports events at the 31st SEA Games: League of Legends, FIFA 4, CrossFire, Arena of Valor, Garena Free Fire, Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB), League of Legends: Wild Rift, and PUBG. The first batch of delegates is scheduled to fly to Hanoi on the week of May 9, 2022.

 

“We’re extremely proud to support a talented and passionate team who has been training relentlessly to represent our country to the best of their abilities. We are confident that Sibol will continue to put the Philippines on the global esports map and prove that Filipinos can dominate in this arena,” says Jane Basas,  PeSO board member and SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.

 

Currently, the 64-strong Sibol team is training at the Brenn Esports Facility in Makati, which is funded by Smart.

 

Marcelo adds that PeSO, together with its sponsors are working on a lineup of activities for the delegation to give local and international esports fans an opportunity to get to know them leading to the competitions.

 

Bringing in an all-new Sibol delegation, featuring an all-female team and twin athletes

 

Sibol will be debuting its first all-female team for League of Legends: Wild Rift at the 31st SEA Games, alongside the first-ever twin male athletes who will be competing individually for Wild Rift.

 

With the exception of Jabs Escutin,  the 2019 MLBB manager who brought home the gold medal, the roster comprises fresh faces from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

 

“Each athlete from the new Sibol team proved that they are at the top of their game when we conducted the nationwide search. The team hails from different backgrounds and ages all united by one shared goal of winning big at the upcoming international events,” says Escutin.

 

Escutin also adds that they are grateful to be backed by their sponsors - Smart, PLDT, Realme, TV5, and Cignal who will join them in their Lakad Matatag journey.  

 

Realme will be sponsoring all 64 delegates with a smartphone for their official use.

 

Making firsts in PH esports history at international sports events

 

Sibol first made history for winning 5 medals (3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) dominating Dota 2, Starcraft II, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Tekken 7 at the 30th SEA Games which was held in Manila in 2019. 

 

With an overall score of 3-2, Sibol defeated Indonesia in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang discipline to win the first-ever esports gold medal in Southeast Asia.

 

The bemedaled team will also be representing the Philippines in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou and the 14th IESF Esports World Championship in Bali, both scheduled to take place later this year. 

 

For more updates, visit Philippine Esports Organization and Sibol’s official Facebook pages.

 

Smart bolsters its commitment to support SIBOL

As a pioneer and stalwart in the Philippine esports and gaming scene, PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has bolstered its commitment to support SIBOL, the bemedaled national team for esports in the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games happening in Hanoi, Vietnam this May. 

 

Wrapping up the national qualifiers led by the Philippine Esports Organization (PESO) and powered by Smart, SIBOL will field 54 esports athletes to represent the Philippines in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang; League of Legends Wild Rift Men’s and Women’s Division; Crossfire; League of Legends; Arena of Valor; FreeFire; PUBG Mobile; and FIFA Online 4.

  

“It is our great honor to support the best Filipino esports athletes as they continue to prove to the world that we have the talent, skill, and drive to dominate this rapidly growing sport. Smart will continue to support the dreams of these young athletes and help them achieve glory for the Philippines in the international stage,” said Jane J. Basas, SVP and Head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.

 

PESO, the national esports organization under the Philippine Olympic Committee, also recognizes the role of the government and partners for the growth of the sector.

 

“This is a historical feat for Philippine esports. Our 54-strong SIBOL delegation -- including the first all-female team -- for SEA Games is one of the biggest in the country. This was made possible with the support of the government and industry partners who paved the way and made this dream a reality,” said Marlon Marcelo, PESO Interim Executive Director.

“PESO is committed to further strengthen esports development within our country and our competitiveness abroad. We have gathered the top athletes in every game category to become SIBOL representatives. We look forward to achieving great success in repeating our 2019 medal results,” said Brian Lim, PESO President. 

To help SIBOL's quest for gold, Smart has also opened the doors of the Smart SIBOL Training Ground to the team, fitted with the latest connectivity innovations. Smart will also help in the training bootcamp of SIBOL to ensure that they are in fighting form before they fly to Vietnam.

Powering esports in PH

 

Smart has long supported esports in the country. In 2019, Smart became the official sponsor of SIBOL for their debut in the SEA Games, where SIBOL bagged a total of five medals -- three gold, one silver, and one bronze – for the Philippines during its maiden year. 

 

The mobile operator also recently marked its fifth year of partnership with Shanghai-based international gaming developer, MOONTON Games, as the official telco partner for all Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Pro League (MPL) Philippines tournaments in 2022. 

 

Smart also hones the competitive spirit of esports athletes through its professional teams, Smart Omega and Smart Omega Empress, and backing leagues like The Nationals, Liga Adarna, among others. The telco also helps in developing potential athletes through grassroots events in partnership with local government units across the country.