The Champions of GTCC: Three Stories of Grit, Purpose, and Tongits Glory

Every great tournament creates legends, and the GameZone Tablegame Champions Cup Summer Showdown 2025 was no exception.

Held last June, the GTCC gathered the fiercest and most strategic Tongits players across the Philippines.

For three days, they battled it out for supremacy, glory, and a share of the massive prize pool.

Let’s revisit the gripping stories of the three champs who proved that behind every powerful card play is a deeper reason to win in this article.

The Three Champions of GTCC 2025

Below is a detailed narrative of their journey to becoming GTCC champions and how their winnings paved the way for them to change their lives.

Tatay Benigno Casayuran

At 62 years old, Benigno Casayuran from Candelaria, known affectionately as “Tatay Benigno,” won as the grand champion.

The elderly Tongits champion took home PHP 5 million, which is half of the total GTCC pool of PHP 10 million.

For Tatay Benigno, the GTCC was a chance to pay for his wife’s cancer treatment and support his son’s college education.

After working as a fisherman for decades, he went out of retirement, and joined the GameZone Tablegame Champions Cup.

And if there is anything else that this tournament unveiled, it’s that the spirit of bayanihan lives on—even in the esports and gaming realms.

Tatay Benigno’s success also hinged on the unwavering support of his community. 

Neighbors extended their magnanimity by funding his travel to and from the tournament venue.

As a whole, his victory embodies the positive facets of Filipino family and community culture.

Ryan Dacalos

Finishing as 1st Runner-Up, Ryan Dacalos, 38, from Lipa City, Batangas, is fueled by something more powerful than ambition—his children. 

A father of three and a construction foreman, Ryan saw the GTCC as an opportunity to give his family a fresh start.

For years, he juggled odd jobs and heavy workloads just to make ends meet.

But when he discovered GameZone and learned about the GTCC, he saw a new possibility. 

Dacalos joined GTCC with only one goal: to win enough to renovate his old family house and send his eldest to college.

Any remainder will be for launching a sari-sari store for additional income.

He approached the tournament like a professional athlete: practicing nightly, studying different strategies, and learning from every match. 

Ryan Dacalos ultimately took home PHP 1 million as his total winnings.

Cesha Myed Tupas

Cesha Myed Tupas from Rizal Province, was the sole woman who secured a spot among the top three GTCC champs.

At age 37, she entered the GameZone Tablegame Champions Cup to improve her family’s home environment and well-being.

Equipped with her Tongits skills and driven by her purpose, Tupas displayed determination, resilience, and sportsmanship on the stage.

Her dedication paid off as she won PHP 488,000. She announced that she will use her reward pragmatically, starting with settling her loans.

She also said that a portion of her winnings will be allocated to renovating her family’s home and daily sustenance.

More Than Just a Game: The GTCC Spirit

The common denominator of these three champions is that they were driven by their resolve to win for their families.

They prove that behind every card dealt is a personal mission worth rooting for.

With that said, despite the Tongits transformation through GTCC, responsible gaming and financial management are still crucial.