#SoloGrind: PH esports is full of potential, but lacks government support
by Ernest Martin Tuazon, Nicole Anne Bugauisan
What could have been one of the most significant achievements in Philippine esports history turned into a heartbreaker that the esports community may endure for a long time.
Riot Games announced that Bren Esports, the top-seeded team in Southeast Asia’s VALORANT Champions Tour, could not secure their visas for the Stage 3 Masters event to be held in Berlin from September 10 to September 19.
“Unfortunately, with tightening travel restrictions around the world due to changing COVID-19 developments, we were unable to secure the necessary travel visas for Bren Esports, the number one seeded team from Southeast Asia,” Head of Competitive Operations for VALORANT Esports Alex Francois said in the statement.
Disappointed but not surprised
The esports scene in the Philippines has boomed, and it continues to do so as Filipino gamers have earned their way to go international.
In 2017, the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) announced that pro gamers are considered athletes and will also get necessary government support.
Bren Esports was an inch away from possibly giving the biggest achievement for the PH first-person shooter (FPS) esports scene. Yet, the GAB officials seemed to have failed in giving the promised support for the top-seeded team that could have allowed them to procure the necessary visa and travel requirements for the competition.
Teletigers Valorant team manager John Louis Lagazo admitted that he was furious at this unfortunate event.
“Para sa PH FPS scene ‘yan ‘yong pinakamalaking achievement nila, pero hindi nila ginawan ng paraan para tanggapin ‘yong visa and [asikasuhin] ‘yong schedule na nandoon na sila dapat kahapon sa Berlin. Hindi nila ginawan ng paraan,” Lagazo said in an exclusive interview with TomasinoWeb.
Even with the drive of Bren to represent and establish a reputation for the Philippines in the field of esports, there are things out of their control.
“‘Yung unfortunate events lang na nangyari sa Bren ay it is just [out] of their control. And, if halimbawa, tumagal and ganito pa rin ‘yong mangyayari, I think PH esports will not bloom at all,” Lagazo added.
The rollercoaster of events came as no surprise to him due to the past experiences of other esports teams such as Execration and TNC’s DOTA 2 teams when they also had a hard time procuring their visas for the Internationals 6 tournament.
No action, no change
If unforeseen circumstances like this Bren mishap continue to happen, then the Philippines will be left in the dust with the rest of the world’s competition for future international e-sports events.
“It will have no impact, it will just remain the same. ‘Pag patuloy na nangyayari ‘yon na hindi tayo makapagdala ng players outside, nothing will happen,” the Teletigers’ Valorant team manager said.
While organizations such as Mineski and TNC have laid the groundwork for the Philippine esports community, the lack of government support has affected the ability of local gamers to maximize their full potential.
“Like what I said, If hindi sila makakapagdala ng players playing international tournaments then nothing will happen,” he added.
Bren’s Valorant team is composed of Jessie “JessieVash” Cuyco, Jayvee “Dubstep” Paguirigan, Jim “Borkum” Timbreza, Kevin “Dispenser” Te, and Riley “Witz” Go.
