PH university offers E-sports course, opens E-sports lab and arena

Are you someone who is constantly on their computers or gadgets?

If so, you might want to check out the BS E-sports course being offered at Lyceum Philippines University.

According to Cedric Castillo’s report on “24 Oras,” Tuesday, the school just opened its very first e-sports laboratory and arena, where students can play computer games even while the professor is giving a lecture.

“For the internet. ‘Di naman tayo naturuan noong 90’s eh na pa’no ‘yung values sa internet. Dito, tuturuan natin sila,” LPU-Manila OC ICT Affairs Dir. Emmanuel Punongbayan said.

[For the internet. We weren't taught how to navigate values on the internet back in the '90s. Here, we will teach them.]

Among those who enrolled in the course is Matthew Apilado, who mentioned that he has loved playing computer games since he was seven years old.

"‘Yung magulang ko, sabi naman nila na okay lang sa kanila ang gaming sa ngayon ha. Pero before, when I was a child, syempre, nakikita nila ang gaming na malaking hindrance when it comes to education kasi ‘yung oras na sana ire-review mo, ipapasok mo pa ‘yung paglalaro,” Matthew said.

[My parents, they say that gaming is okay with them now. But before, when I was a child, of course, they saw gaming as a big hindrance when it comes to education because the time you should be reviewing, you spend playing.]

But from a mere source of entertainment, it soon turned into a career opportunity and an instrument for Matthew to establish his own company even while he is still studying.

“Am I securing my future? Yes. But as for the money, of course, it’s there, you know, it’s enough to get by. I’m able to protect my people, to put food on their table,” he said.

More than just for playing, the first BS E-sports course is being taught in the Philippines for those who want to have a career in sports production and management or those who want to design their own games.

“When you see the E-sports ecosystem, it is central to the player but as you can see, there’s a lot of people who’s working on the back, especially in the event. E-sports is a growing industry. We believe that as a university, we should cater this gap, that there’s really a need to work on the backend of e-sports,” LPU Manila Dean of the College of Technology Dr. Arlene Caballero said.

E-sports also now has its own category in some sporting events.

— Carby Basina/CACM, GMA Integrated News