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A new Philippines-based digital esports platform, Kalaro, will be launched on 12 October. The platform is designed to be “Asia’s first fully-integrated end-to-end esports digital platform” according to a statement to the press.

What is Kalaro?

Kalaro, which means ‘playmate’ in Tagalog, was developed by Filipino industry experts on esports and the international tech scene.

“Our goal is to create a central hub for esports entertainment,” said Jun D. Lasco, Kalaro software architect and founder of The-AsiaGroup.com Inc./Pnex International Corporation, which owns Kalaro. “At the same time, [we will] support budding and expert Filipino esports athletes to excel through the active support from the esports community and sponsorship from corporate brands.”

The platform will support various esports stakeholders, including amateurs, professional players and teams, tournament organisers, streamers, and influencers. On the corporate side, business partners will be able to engage with the gaming community and even set up digital storefronts to sell their products.

“With the incredible support we are getting from our partners and the gaming community, we’re excited to realise the synergy Kalaro will create among corporate brands and more than 30 million esports enthusiasts in the Philippines,” commented Renalyn B. David, board of directors’ member of The-AsiaGroup.com Inc./Pnex International Corporation.

Esports scholarship programme

The esports scene in the Philippines has seen some exciting developments recently. Earlier this week, Philippine telecommunications provider, Globe Telecome, and Esports AcadArena launched their first full-fledged esports scholarship programme.

The scholarships are by AcadArena’s Alliance Programme, a student organisation support system that provides monthly tournament and industry support. The scholarship programme will also provide grants of up to PHP50,000, and full tuition coverage for players and support staff of universities included in the programme.

Esports has gained traction in the Philippines this year, as regular sports are facing disruptions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Many schools are turning to esports to supplement the lack of extracurricular activities,” said Dennis Dominguez, Head of Games and Esports at Global Telecom.

Student organisations and campus esports programmes at the collegiate level can apply for the scholarships here.