ESPORTS TOURNEY. The Dr. Vicente F. Gustilo Memorial National High School’s Maraynon team emerges as the champion in the first run of the Governor’s Cup Esports Competition held in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday (Nov. 7, 2023). Aside from Cadiz, eight other cities – Sagay, Escalante, Talisay, Sipalay, Kabankalan, San Carlos, Bago, and La Carlota – will host the remaining legs until the last week of November. (Photo courtesy of Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center)
BACOLOD CITY – The nine-city Negros Occidental Governor’s Cup Esports Competition kicked off in Cadiz City on Tuesday as part of the program to promote esports education among public schools in the province.
Each team’s six players face off to become the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang champion in the tournament organized by the Office of the Governor through the Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center (NOLITC) in partnership with campus gaming institution AcadArena Technologies.
“We started the first run of the competition with the shared theme ‘Not Just Play,’” NOLITC vocational school administrator Ma. Cristina Orbecido said.
In Cadiz City, the teams from the Dr. Vicente F. Gustilo Memorial National High School swept the top three spots of the competition, which ended Tuesday evening.
Aside from Cadiz, eight other cities – Sagay, Escalante, Talisay, Sipalay, Kabankalan, San Carlos, Bago, and La Carlota – will host the remaining legs until the last week of November.
Orbecido said the winners in the city-level tournaments would compete in the “Battle of the Champions” during the Panaad sa Negros Festival next year.
“The tournament aims to hone champions in the esports arena and send players from the province to national competitions,” she added.
This year’s Governor’s Cup Esports Competition has a PHP160,000 prize pool, with each champion team pocketing a PHP7,000 cash prize; first runner-up, PHP5,000; and second runner-up, PHP3,800.
The Finals Most Valuable Player and the AcadArena Not Just Play Award winner will receive PHP1,000 each.
In February, the NOLITC partnered with AcadArena Technologies considered the leading organization for campus gaming and esports education in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, for three campaigns – Digital Literacy, Digital Citizenship, and Innovation.
Through the program, students are empowered and allowed to collaborate, learn, and develop significant skills needed around the growing esports and gaming industry.
“Esports is a growing industry across the globe, and there are a lot of opportunities for esports enthusiasts. We also wanted to eliminate the stigma on esports. It’s more than just play,” Orbecido said. (PNA)
