Jomar Sapo-an, a humble tailor, emerges victorious in the GameZone Tablegame Champions Cup (GTCC): September Arena: “Maraming, maraming salamat sa lahat ng bumubuo ng GameZone, kung di po dahil sa kanila, wala po ako rito.”
This GTCC is the third Tongits competition held by GameZone. It is currently the most influential national-level competition in the Philippines and the Tongits competition with the largest prize pool in the entire Philippines.
GameZone presented the “GameZone Tablegame Champions Cup (GTCC): September Arena,” a two-day offline tournament, which ran from Sept. 20 to 21 at the Filinvest Tent in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, bringing in the top 36 seasoned players from all over the Philippines to compete for the prestigious golden trophy and a prize pool of P10,000,000, the largest prize pool for a Tongits competition in the entire Philippines.
GameZone will provide a P10-million prize pool for each competition, with the goal of showcasing the skill, perseverance, and shining qualities of the Filipino people through professional competitive play. All participants will be selected through online games, giving everyone an equal chance to transform their lives and showcase their talents.
In addition, each competition will allocate P1 million for public welfare projects and community development initiatives. This effort reflects GameZone’s commitment to continue bringing entertainment while also promoting responsible gaming and meaningful contributions to society.
Gamemaster Integrated, Inc. President Rafael Jasper Vicencio presents the grand prize and trophy to the winner of the GTCC: September Arena.
As GameZone culminates the final day of the tournament, the top 2 players Jomar and Erlinda are both reserve players who only went to the event for their love of the game, not knowing that they will both be facing each other in the finals. They brought out their competitive nature as Erlinda won the first round of the finals leading the game by 10,600 points, but then things took a quick turn with Jomar’s exceptional performance and mastery of the game. He was able to take the lead by 500 points to win a championship, enduring to the end and going all out in the final game to become the GTCC September Arena’s grand champion.
Jomar, the ultimate winner, received the grand prize of P5 million and the golden trophy, with Rafael Jasper Vicencio, President of Gamemaster Integrated, Inc., presenting the prize and trophy to the grand champion of the GTCC: September Arena tournament.
In an exclusive interview with the grand champion, Jomar, still in shock after winning the tournament, raises his hands up to the skies and said, ”nagpapasalamat po ako kay God at sa pamilya ko.”
Sapo-an raises his hand up to the skies as he becomes the champion of the tournament.
Jomar and his family reside in Rizal, but are originally from Bohol. He says that it was his wife, his number one fan who pushed him to join but was nervous as it was his first time ever attending a Tongits tournament. With him now being the grand champion, he feels every bit of happiness.
“Inaalay ko po ang panalong ito sa pamilya ko po, lalong lalo na sa asawa ko, na number one fan ko, supportive sa akin ‘yun, sya ang nag-push sakin na pumunta rito, nag-pray lang din po ako kay God, na kung para sa akin, para sa akin.”
When asked what he will be doing with his winnings: ”Unang-una po sa lupa’t bahay, para po sa pamilya, bibili po kami ng lupa at bahay, sa ngayon po di pa po namin napapag-usapan kung sa Maynila o sa Bohol.”
With the trustworthy prizes and fair competition system, it brought out the players’ competitive spirit and, after winning the prize, Jomar showed his sportsmanship spirit by also giving credits to his fellow players stating that all of them are masters of the game and it was not easy, but left it all to luck on the cards. He stated that his playing experience comes from playing card games and playing through the GameZone application on his phone. This gave him an unforgettable experience throughout his whole journey during the tournament, as he emerged as the champion in the GTCC: September Arena. After the tournament, he plans to go home to hug his wife and two kids.
Passion meets purpose: GameZone donates P1 million to the Kalusugan Plus initiative, chosen by the community received by the BingoPlus Foundation.
What sets GameZone apart is its commitment to creating memorable experiences in and out of the competition. Players were not only celebrated for their talent but also treated with hospitality deeply rooted in Filipino values. Each participant was allowed to bring up to 1 companion who enjoyed an all-expense-paid, five-day hotel stay complete with food and accommodations — a gesture that reflects GameZone’s dedication to making the journey unforgettable for both players and their families.
At the heart of GameZone as a brand is the desire to promote qualities that not only speak to the competitive nature of gaming but also to the virtues that can inspire and uplift society, with the event being labeled as the biggest Tongits table game tournament in the Philippines. The tournament opened with an air of excitement with participants and players from different backgrounds making their way to the event, with 36 players given an opportunity to create history and were grouped randomly as they went head-to-head with each other in one of the most challenging long hours and rounds of their playing career, making their way through the elimination round and finals giving each player a platform to shine.
All of the participants were recognized during the two-day tournament creating another milestone event with the brand raising a platform where everyone can join, win and be part of GameZone. Another highlight of the event was the donation given by GameZone to the initiative that was voted by the public community. GameZone was able to donate an amount of P1-million donation to the Kalusugan Plus initiative, with BingoPlus Foundation’s Executive Director Angela Camins-Wineke there to accept donation, which will go to the chosen initiative by the community for support and development.
Overall, the GameZone was able to set a milestone moment as it set records and opened new doors of opportunities, promising an exciting and entertaining platform for future players of the game. The tournament was not only a game of cards for the players, because it also fostered champions for change, with proof that the love for Filipino entertainment is as strong as ever. This commitment to excellence, combined with a strong focus on public welfare, positions the GameZone brand as a leader in the gaming industry, paving the way for even greater achievements in the future.
Above all, GameZone promotes responsible gaming. Play Responsibly. Play for fun only. Gambling is not an acceptable way of livelihood, and it does not solve any financial problems. To find out more about the tournament, just visit the official website of GameZone — gzone.ph.
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