PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – The Philippines’ campaign in esports titles saw a better finish in this year’s iteration of the Southeast Asian Games than in Hanoi in 2022.

Sibol, the national esports team, fielded 48 athletes and seven coaches in the regional sporting event held here, and they did not disappoint after bagging medal finishes in all titles in games held from May 6-15.

They brought home a total of six medals, two of them gold, with one silver and three bronzes, overcoming their output in Hanoi, Vietnam at four.

Cambodia hosted nine medal events in six video games this year: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (men and women), PUBG Mobile (team and individual tournaments), League of Legends: Wild Rift, Crossfire, Valorant, and Attack Online 2 (team and individual).

• #TaonNgTagumpay: PH esports team aims for more medals in upcoming SEA Games

The Philippines did not join the Attack Online 2 competitions.

In a statement released exclusively to ABS-CBN News, Philippine Esports Organization, the country's governing body for esports, lauded Sibol's performance in the recently concluded SEA Games.

PESO executive director Marlon Marcelo said that the results show that Pinoy players could compete with Southeast Asia's best e-athletes.

"We are ecstatic with the performance of our Sibol athletes getting medals from MLBB to PUBG Mobile. This goes to show that our Filipino esports athletes can go toe to toe with the very best in South East Asia. We want to push our limits and hopefully become world class athletes in the future," Marcelo said.

The PESO leadership in an earlier press release also said that Sibol members practiced relentlessly for the Cambodia games to manifest its mantra, "Taon Ng Tagumpay."

The country’s representatives for the League of Legends: Wild Rift won the first gold medal in esports, overwhelming powerhouse Vietnam in the finals, 3-1.

• SEA Games: Sibol Wild Rift delivers first gold in esports category

The Philippines also defended its SEA Games gold in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang title for a three-peat finish.

Bannered by local squads Bren Esports and Onic Philippines, Filipino Mobile Legends players squashed their co-finalist, Malaysia’s all-star team, in dominant fashion, 3-0, as they proved that the Philippines remains to be the best country in the title.

• SEA Games: Three-peat complete as PH captures gold in ML

The Philippines also saw a friendship bloom between Sibol and the Mobile Legends team of Timor Leste.

ESPORTSMANSHIP. Timor Leste's Mobile Legends team gave Sibol MLBB honorary scarves "as a gesture of good will" after their BO1 match earlier on Saturday here in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The PH esports team won the match, 1-0. (📸: Sibol/FB) | via @kennedyzcaacbay #SEAGames2023 pic.twitter.com/s1ekQIeHxn

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) May 13, 2023

Timor Leste gave "esportsmanship" scarves to our MLBB players, a gesture welcomed by Sibol and the Filipino esports community.

• LOOK: Timor Leste gives 'esportsmanship' scarves to PH ML team

A victory short of capturing the gold, Sibol MLBB women's team succumbed to another powerhouse, Indonesia, in the finals, 3-2.

• SEA Games: Women's MLBB cops first silver for esports

Filipino representatives to Crossfire, Valorant, and PUBG Mobile also nabbed bronze medals to cap Sibol's campaign in Phnom Penh.

• SEA Games: Sibol nabs bronze medal in Crossfire; PH Valorant team sweeps opener
• SEA Games 2023: Valorant team cops 2nd bronze for esports

The Philippines also won its first medal finish in PUBG Mobile after two editions of SEA Games, courtesy of Abdul Barode, after placing fourth in the individual tournament.

• SEA Games: Abdul Barode delivers Philippines' first medal in PUBG Mobile

The country's esports team, meanwhile, took to social media its appreciation for its members who competed in the SEA Games.

PESO executive director Marcelo also said that Philippines' esports campaign this year is not yet finished, as Sibol will still compete in IESF World Championships, Asian Games, and Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG).

"As the great Kobe Bryant once said 'Job’s not done' we will celebrate our victories and regroup to prepare for the other 3 major events that team Sibol will participate," he said.

For more stories on the 32nd Southeast Asian Games, click here.