- PLDT Inc. and its wireless arm Smart Communications launch Team Omega.
- The team is a collaboration with Sterling Global Dragons, who were scouted after winning The Road to The Nationals Finals at the Electronic Sports and Gaming Summit.
- The new team will take a slot in The Nationals, the Philippines’ first franchise-based esports league.
PLDT Inc., the Philippines’ longest serving and biggest telecommunications company, along with its wireless services arm Smart Communications, have launched its own esports team ‘Omega’ in collaboration with Sterling Global Dragons. The team will field squads in Dota 2 
, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Tekken 7,which will all be included in the esports component of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
The team was scouted in the qualifiers for Philippines’ first franchised esports league, a Mobile Legends: Bang Bang competition called Road to The Nationals, which Sterling Global Dragons won. The Nationals, which PLDT and Smart are a partner of, will feature six franchises and hopes to be a factored into in the selection process for the Southeast Asian Games national representatives. Other companies taking franchise slots include BrenPro Inc., Cignal TV Inc., Execration, HappyFeet Esports, and STI Education Systems.
“Launching ‘Omega’ as our official professional esports team reinforces the long-standing commitment of PLDT and Smart to elevate esports in the Philippines, as well as provide the ultimate gaming experience for Filipino gamers, fans, and enthusiasts,” said Andrew L. Santos, FVP and consumer marketing head for PLDT and Smart.
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While Sterling Global Dragons are not as well known as other Philippines esports organizations like TNC Pro Team and Mineski, its Dota 2 squad did earn a place in The International 8 SEA Main Qualifier. The team surprised many by winning a game against a favored Fnatic lineup before being eliminated in the group stage.
“We share PLDT and Smart’s vision to legitimize and professionalize esports in the Philippines, and our strategic partnership to establish and manage ‘Omega’ is a huge step toward this goal,” said Gerry Lim, Sterling Global Dragons president. Collaborations like this serve as a platform for the gaming community to empower home-grown esports athletes in a holistic way, and enable them to reach their full potential, and set high standards for the community.”
The announcement comes one week after PLDT’s telecommunications rival, Globe Telecom, launched its own esports team in partnership with Mineski. While Globe revealed an ambitious plan including proper training facilities and support staff akin to a traditional sporting team, PLDT will be counting on the success of the franchise-based league to help elevate the quality of life for professional esports players in the Philippines.
