MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has another reason to celebrate in mobile esports after local squad POISON IVY GIZY captured the championship in the inaugural Call of Duty: Mobile (CODM) Garena Battle Royale Cup, defeating regional competition in a dramatic finish at Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
The Filipino team secured the historic title on November 8, 2026, after surviving a tense final-circle showdown against GNR Esports on Map 8. POISON IVY GIZY finished the Grand Finals with 132 points, becoming the first-ever champions of the Garena Battle Royale Cup.
The victory was especially significant because the tournament brought together leading Battle Royale teams from across the Garena region, giving the Philippine representatives an opportunity to prove themselves against international competition on home soil.
POISON IVY GIZY takes control of the championship race
POISON IVY GIZY entered the two-day Grand Finals with strong momentum after topping the earlier stages of the competition.
The squad ended Day 1 in first place with 106 points, ahead of GNR Esports, which had 99, and ADMT PYRITE, which recorded 82.
The tournament used a special format called the EndGame Protocol. Under the rules, the championship threshold was set 10 points above the leading team’s Day 1 score. That meant a team needed to reach 116 points before becoming eligible to claim the title by winning a subsequent map.
POISON IVY GIZY was the first team to reach that target, accomplishing the milestone on Map 7. However, reaching the threshold did not automatically end the competition.
The championship was decided on Map 8, when POISON IVY GIZY outlasted GNR Esports in the final circle to secure the tournament victory. The Filipino squad closed its campaign with 132 points and two map wins, according to esports coverage of the event.
SecreGIZY earns Finals MVP recognition
A major contributor to the championship run was Gabrielle Paolo “Secre” Diaz, who was named Finals MVP after recording the most eliminations on the title-deciding map.
Secre credited the team’s preparation for its performance, saying the players had spent months getting ready for the competition.
The winning roster featured:
- Marc Andrie “Drie” Salazar
- Gabrielle Paolo “Secre” Diaz
- Bernard Dalton “Void” Patayon
- Aldred Give “Leigh” Malicdem
The team was coached by Niño “Vrus” Salonga.
The achievement also gave the squad a significant milestone in its competitive journey: becoming the first champions of a new regional tournament dedicated to CODM’s Battle Royale mode.
A major moment for Philippine mobile esports
The inaugural Garena Battle Royale Cup was held on November 7 and 8 at the Activity Centre of Ayala Malls Manila Bay. Teams from several markets in the Garena region competed in the offline finals.
Coverage from UnGeek and esports.gg highlighted the event’s new EndGame Protocol format and the tournament’s role in expanding competitive opportunities for Call of Duty: Mobile Battle Royale players.
For the Philippine esports scene, POISON IVY GIZY’s victory is another encouraging result in a competitive mobile gaming environment where local teams continue to test themselves against regional opponents.
The win also adds to the growing visibility of Filipino players in mobile esports, where teamwork, consistency, map awareness and high-pressure decision-making can determine the outcome of a championship.
Garena outlines more CODM opportunities for 2027
The tournament weekend also brought announcements about the future of Call of Duty: Mobile esports.
During its seventh-anniversary livestream, Garena presented plans for a broader competitive pathway in 2027, including the Garena Rookie Circuit, an open competition expected to run four times a year.
The planned pathway is designed to give developing teams more opportunities to progress into higher-level regional competitions, including Garena Elite and Garena Masters. The routes beyond those competitions differ by game mode: Multiplayer teams can pursue the Garena Qualifier for the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship, while Battle Royale teams can compete for the Garena Battle Royale Cup.
Garena also announced CODM Arena, a platform intended to connect players with community and campus tournaments, making it easier to discover and participate in organized competitions.
These plans could create more opportunities for aspiring Filipino players to enter the competitive scene and develop their skills through structured tournaments.
POISON IVY GIZY sets its sights beyond the regional stage
Despite celebrating a historic win, the team is already looking toward tougher competition.
Coach VrusGIZY said the squad wants to test itself against teams from around the world and pursue an international championship.
That ambition gives the victory added importance. Winning the first Garena Battle Royale Cup establishes POISON IVY GIZY as the tournament’s inaugural champion, but competing successfully beyond the regional circuit will be a different challenge.
For now, the Filipino squad has delivered a memorable result in front of its home crowd: a championship built on months of preparation, a strong Day 1 performance and a decisive final-circle victory.
POISON IVY GIZY has made CODM history in Manila. The next question is whether the team can turn its first major regional crown into international success.
