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2:22 pm on 5 December 2021, Sunday
Presidential candidate, Senator Manny Pacquiao, is breaking new ground in the field of electronic sports, or Esports, by launching his own Esports team on Saturday.
Pacquiao hopes to become the "pound for pound" champion in the international electronic gaming scene, which is currently dominated by the United States, China, South Korea, and Japan.
Pacquiao stated during the official launch of Team Pacquiao GG (TPGG) at the City of Dreams in Paranaque, that Esports is a rapidly growing sporting industry that is creating employment and business opportunities globally, and the Philippines must leverage its own talent to become a major force in international electronic gaming.
“Today, we are launching Team Pacquiao to sow the seed of Filipino excellence in international esports competitions. Our purpose is to become the pound for pound esports heavyweights of Southeast Asia through community engagements, professional teams, content creation, and charitable giving,” Pacquiao said.
“Team Pacquiao has partnered with Veloce Group (Veloci) to build Team Pacquiao together to something special not only for the Philippines but also for the world. We have brought together a team of five incredibly talented Filipino men and women as founding members of Team Pacquiao, who have accomplished so much in their gaming and streaming careers and also share my vision to create opportunities for those without them. ,” he added.
The Senator is not a newcomer to the esports scene, having previously competed in a number of esports competitions and even serving as an endorser for the wildly popular Mobile Legends: Bang Bang game. He even has his own legendary skin and has been immortalized in the esports scene via an ML fighter named Paquito.
Pacquiao stated that Esports has grown into a multibillion-dollar global industry, benefiting not only e-game developers, but also content creators, esports athletes, and team owners. International e-game competitions award multimillion-dollar prizes and top esports athletes serve as endorsers for numerous lucrative marketing campaigns.
“Most Filipinos identify video gaming as a hobby and possible addiction for younger people that must be supervised. But not anymore. Esports is not just an online phenomenon but a legitimate, growing sporting industry around the world with a lot of job and business opportunities,” Pacquaio stated.
Pacquiao stated that Esports is gaining traction in the mainstream sporting world, and the Philippines must immediately begin cultivating potential athletes who can represent the country at major international competitions.
“In fact, in 2019 the Southeast Asian Games have already featured it as a medal event. Now the Olympic committee is considering its presence in the 2024 Olympic Games,” Pacquiao said.
“Together with Veloce, we developed the Team Pacquiao brand as part of a long-term strategy to build the national esports gaming team of the Philippines that will compete across all of Asia and conquer the world of esports,” he added.
Apart from cultivating world-class esports athletes and content creators, Pacquiao stated that Team Pacquiao's primary objective is to “elevate esports and gaming as a platform for inclusivity and positive change within the Philippines and Southeast Asia.”
“The Team Pacquiao Brand aims to elevate the competitive spirit of the Filipinos and engage the community through world-class content, grass-root and premier esports events across the nation, engaging in charitable activities and building our own professional esports teams,” Pacquiao stated.
Pacquaio's TPGG will consist of a five-man team with a variety of esports experiences. One is "GLOCO," a pioneer YouTuber and creative content creator in the country, while the other is "Kimbee," a television model and chef. "Een," who is also a model and a successful young entrepreneur in the field of cryptocurrency trading; "Shin Boo," a world-renowned esports international commentator; and Wrecker, who is not only a badass e-gamer but also a philanthropist, having raised P15 million for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.
“As I step away from boxing, I want to continue to give something back to the Filipino people who have given me so much support and love in my career. We have a lot in store for the community and I can’t wait to be a part of this journey with Team Pacquiao. This is only just the beginning,” Pacquiao said.