We sat down again with Federico “Papi” Evangelista after six years, where he now plays for Global Esports (GE).
PHILIPPINES — For years, the Philippines has been home to some of the most recognizable names in VCT, especially in Southeast Asia. Jessie “JessieVash” Cuyco, a true veteran of the scene who still delivers when it matters most despite the years behind him, or Jim “BORKUM” Timbreza whose BORKUM TIME clutches are the stuff of legend.
The torch is slowly passing, and among those ready to carry the legacy forward is Federico “Papi” Evangelista, who is now playing under India-based Global Esports, ready to carry the legacy forward in VCT Pacific and potentially on the international stage in the future.
Papi’s name might not be as familiar to fans outside of Southeast Asia, but within the region’s FPS scene, he’s been around for years. In Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, he came up with players like Riley “witz” Go, Jim “BORKUM” Timbreza, and Jayvee “DubsteP” Paguirigan—though he never found himself on the same side of the server as the latter two.
ALSO READ: Mongolia: The Sleeping Giant of VALORANT – Interview with consz
“I got into gaming when I was four years old because my uncle had a PC café in our house. My uncle and I used to play CS 1.3, and he always destroyed me, which made me so mad—but that’s what introduced me to gaming.
Growing up, I played basketball, and in the Philippines, I think it’s a huge part of the culture. I spent about a quarter of my life playing basketball, from elementary to college. On the side, I also played different FPS games like CS, CS:S, and CS:GO. I really got hooked on CS:GO when I saw my college friends playing it at an internet café. I joined them, and that’s when my esports career started.”
From 2017 to 2019, Papi was with TNC Pro Team before making the jump to Bren Esports. There, he became part of a dominant roster that ruled the Filipino Counter-Strike scene, cementing their place as the best team in the country during the final years of SEA CS:GO’s competitive era from 2019 to 2021.
(Archives of CSGO2ASIA)
ALSO READ: [CSGO2ASIA] Papichulo – “We can give everyone [in Asia] a hard time”
This wasn’t our first conversation with Papi. We had crossed paths before—six years ago, to be exact—at the Suntec Convention Centre in Singapore, where the regional SEA qualifier for eXTREMESLAND 2019 was taking place. Back then, he was another rising talent in Counter-Strike from the Philippines, grinding his way through the scene.
Now, six years later, he couldn’t help but reflect on the journey that had brought him here. “Yeah, it’s been six years, but it feels like just a week ago that I was interviewed by CSGO2ASIA. Time flies—from the CS days to now playing VALORANT on one of the 12 best teams in APAC. I feel both overwhelmed and happy at the same time.”
Esports is still a new industry. Teams rise and fall, players can disappear overnight, and while VALO2ASIA continues the legacy of CSGO2ASIA, not many from that time have stuck around. But Papi is one of the rare ones. After years of hard work, he’s finally here, standing on the biggest stage in APAC VALORANT: VCT Pacific.
“I think for me, what kept me going all these years and still putting up decent or huge numbers is that I’m still hungry and want to compete on the biggest stage. I just never stopped playing and for me competing is like the most enjoyable part for me.”
(Photo courtesy of VCT Pacific)
Papi’s rise in VALORANT wasn’t some overnight success story. He didn’t just appear out of nowhere and land a spot in VCT Pacific.
When VALORANT was first released in 2021, Papi and his former Bren Esports squad saw an opportunity. Much like Paper Rex, they made the transition from CS:GO together to VALORANT, sticking with the core roster that had dominated the Filipino Counter-Strike scene under a new name: South Built Esports. And just like that, a new chapter began.
In their first year in VALORANT, it wasn’t just about getting the hang of a new game—it was also about showing they still had what it took to win and proving that sticking together was the right choice. That proof came in late-2021 when they lifted the trophy at the regional Mineski VxV event, where they took down the original Team Secret roster—the same team that would go on to make playoffs at Champions 2021 just a month later.
(Photo courtesy of SBE)
Success still didn’t come easy, but Papi and SBE always stayed competitive in the Philippines. While they didn’t dominate like the old days, they never faded either—always finding themselves among the country’s top three. Their improvement showed in 2022 when they qualified for APAC Stage 1 Challengers and, again, when they reclaimed the Mineski VxV title.
Their time with South Built Esports took them all the way to the end of 2022, but as the competitive scene evolved, so did Papi’s career. He made his move to NAOS Esports for the 2023 season, just as VALORANT was ushering in a new era—the introduction of the VCT Pacific League among the international leagues.
Papi quickly became the heart of NAOS Esports. Over four Challengers Philippines events since 2023, he consistently placed among the top three players in the entire two seasons while playing Controller. Time and time again, he showed his reliability, helping them secure a spot in VCT Ascension Pacific in both 2023 and 2024.
- 2023 Challengers PH Split 1 // 1.24 VLR Rating over 500 rounds (#1)
- 2023 Challengers PH Split 2 // 1.22 VLR Rating over 644 rounds (#2)
- 2023 Ascension Pacific // 1.15 VLR rating over 306 rounds (#9)
- 2024 Challengers PH Split 1 // 1.20 VLR Rating over 458 rounds (#3)
- 2024 Challengers PH Split 2 // 1.29 VLR Rating over 619 rounds (#1)
- 2024 Ascension Pacific // 1.21 VLR rating over 151 rounds (#2)
(Photo courtesy of VCT Pacific)
Their closest shot at promotion to VCT Pacific came in their first attempt, making a deep run to the semifinals in 2023. While it wasn’t the fairytale ending they dreamed of, it was more than enough to prove that Papi had what it took to compete on the big stage.
With his undeniable firepower, it was only a matter of time before Papi caught the attention of the tier-one scene. By late 2024, that moment finally came—Global Esports came calling, offering him a spot in VCT Pacific for the 2025 season. It had taken him two years of grinding through the tier-two circuit, but now, he was finally stepping onto the biggest stage in APAC. His addition was the headline on our news piece: Global Esports reveal new roster for VCT 2025 featuring Kr1stal and PapiChulo.
No more online qualifiers, no more regional-to-Ascension tournaments. This is a tier-one league, with a structured season where every match mattered, where consistency over weeks of regular season play was important. Seoul would be his new home, a city thousands of kilometers away from everything familiar in the Philippines.
“It feels a lot different, the environment and the competition are way different than tier-two. Like here it’s way more competitive and organized, and it’s more enjoyable.”
But it wasn’t just the league format or the city that was different—his entire team environment has changed.
For nearly a decade, Papi had only ever played with all-Filipino squads. The Filipino tactical FPS scene is a small world—practically everyone knows everyone. If you’ve spent enough time at the top level, you’ve either teamed up with or faced off against just about every name in the scene. But now, that comfort is gone. Global Esports, well as the name suggests, is an international team, a melting pot of different playstyles and personalities.
“The difference between playing with an all-Filipino roster and an international roster, aside from the language barrier, is the culture and attitude of the players. With Filipino players, I already know how they work, handle things, and react in certain situations. But with an international roster, it’s completely different—you have to take the time to understand them and build that connection day by day.”
All those years of grinding, all the battles fought in tier-two, had led to this moment. “When I was with BREN/TNC [in CS:GO], I didn’t think much about the future because I’m the type of person who likes to go with the flow. But as time passed, I started thinking ahead, becoming more responsible, and preparing for what’s to come. What hasn’t changed for me is setting aside outside matters that could affect my gameplay and staying fully focused in-game.”
This was the start of something new for Papi, but in some ways, it wasn’t entirely unfamiliar. He still has fellow Filipinos by his side, Kelly “kellyS” Sedillo and Mark “patrickWHO” Musni. However, with patrickWHO stuck outside Seoul due to visa issues—a situation unlikely to change for months—GE had to adapt.
GE’s new roster is a mix of raw talent and proven experience. Leading the squad is Savva “Kr1stal” Fedorov, a cracked IGL who had already guided teams to two Ascension finals. Alongside him is rising Korean player Go “UdoTan” Kyung-won, while former Bleed Esports star Derrick “Deryeon” Yee currently fills in for patrickWHO.
In a way, this isn’t just about Papi carrying the hopes of not just Filipino fans, but also the entire South Asian community that has stood behind GE since the previous seasons. “I don’t feel any pressure because I know what I bring to the team. I just focus on improving myself and helping my team get better every day. The passion from the GE and Indian communities really motivates us—their support pushes us to give our best.”
Global Esports’ decision to pick Papi was the right one, and honestly, it’s hard to disagree. But it does raise a few questions that fans and analysts alike can’t help but wonder about. Why did it take two years for such a cracked player to break into Pacific? Why didn’t Team Secret or any other teams make a move when he was with NAOS? Was the buyout too high, or were there simply no openings for him in VCT Pacific over the past two years? Well, now that he’s in VCT Pacific, he’s ready to prove why it was worth the wait.
“In my opinion, during the first season of the Pacific League, I wasn’t ready yet. If I had been, some orgs might have picked me up—but that didn’t happen. So I think now is the right time to say that I’m ready.
As for whether I would have done anything differently to boost my chances of making it to the Pacific, I don’t think so. I believe everything happens for a reason.
My advice for those trying to break into tier one is simple: keep doing your best every day, keep improving, and most importantly, enjoy the process.”
And that led us to ask the follow-up question—how do you keep doing your best and improving every single day?
“My routine before official matches is aim training, but not too much, and warming up in The Range in-game. It’s also important for me to stay mentally healthy and confident because if you are confident with what you do, you have a higher chance of winning and performing better.
Self-talk is one of the things I do—I motivate myself and just keep a positive winning mentality. For me, that’s the key.”
For more insights on the Asian VALORANT scene and upcoming content like this, be sure to like and follow VALO2ASIA on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
Cover photo courtesy of VCT Pacific
