BRIDGITTE “Brigida” Ramos experienced a breakthrough moment when she became part of the talent pool of the MLBB Women’s Invitational 2022.
“Kinikilig talaga ako kapag naalala ko kase yung first major tournament ko, all-female pa po," she recalled to Spin.ph. "Tapos siya yung kauna-unahan na ni-launch ni MLBB for female teams. So ang laking accomplishment niya for me.”
The MWI wasn’t just an opportunity for her to showcase her talents. It was also her chance to talk about her advocacies in promoting gender equality in an industry that is primarily dominated by men.

“Gusto ko talagang i-advocate yung equality rin po kase and ma-recognize yung capabilities namin sa esports industry. Yun talaga yung pinakamalaking blessings para sa akin yung MWI.”
None of this would’ve happened had she not ventured into the Land of Dawn. Back when she was in high school, a friend of hers introduced her to the game.
“Sinwerte ako na in-introduce siya ng classmate ko one-time kase nagpunta ako sa house niya para sa group work. Habang nagwe-wait kami for other groupmates, nakikita ko na naglalaro siya. Na-curious ako so doon nagsimula lahat,” she said.
She couldn't get enough of Mobile Legends. Even when the rest of her friends already grew tired of playing, she kept on grinding. Eventually, this led to her being involved as an aspiring professional player in college for LG Esports.
But as the typical spirited college go-getter eager to try new things, she also wanted to further explore her footing in the esports scene. And so, after watching the MPL-PH, she hit upon the idea to try shoutcasting.
The transition to shoutcasting
“What if nag-ganyan ako? AB Comm naman ako, kaya ko kaya yan? At that time dyino-joke ko lang siya. Nandun lang siya sa mind ko, pero wala akong plans na i-concretize,” she reflected.
The sign came with auditions for the pre-Season 8 MPL-PH Caster Search. “Yung parang talagang tadhana, na naging sign na, 'Uy, maybe this is it.' Nag-post yung MPL na magco-conduct ng caster search. Tapos since na-mention ko sa mga ka-org ko, sila po yung nag-send na, ‘Uy, baka ikaw na ito!'”
With no clue what she was getting into, she decided to throw her hat into the ring.
“Hindi ko po alam kung dapat ko siyang gawin tapos ayun triny ko po."
But out of the thousands that auditioned, Brigida was among those selected in the top nine. She was so nervous before the announcement that she forgot to take the cap off her toothbrush and ended up smearing toothpaste all over it. But when the final list of names came, hers was among them, part of a batch of young, hungry casters — many of whom would go on to eventually be called up to the league casting desk: Francis Joses "OSX" Cantero, Santie Magcalas, JC "Naisou" Rezabek, and the comebacking Chantelle Hernandez.

But before these casters would make a name for themselves, they had to go endure the final phase of the bootcamp that was the Caster Search. It was an experience that none of them would ever forget.
Brigida was no exception.
“Yung first day po talaga ng workshop, nasa Gariath po kami noon. I felt that day pa lang, muntikan na akong mawalan ng pag-asa,” she reflected. “Personally, I went to that workshop naman [knowing] na hindi talaga ako mananalo. Hindi sa pessimistic pero syempre I knew na someone sa aming nine na mas deserving nun kaysa sa akin."
She added: “I was entirely new talaga to casting and there’s so much to learn.”
During the first day of the competition, she was seated on the front row, which meant that she was often called up to recite by one of their mentors, veteran sports broadcaster Noel Zarate.
“Medyo malas kase nasa harap ako so madalas akong tinatawag at pinag-sample na kung ano-ano," Brigida recalled with a laugh. "Like, meron siyang exercises sa voice and madalas ako yung tinatawag.”
She added: “Syempre during that time sobrang pressured ako sa mga kasama ko tapos sobrang baguhan po ako so parang tunog manok yata ako noong nag on-the-spot casting ako. Boses pa lang, medyo lugi na ako kase napo-point out talaga ni Sir Noel like how you should use your voice.”
Negative thoughts began to overwhelm her as she took part in drill after drill, constantly feeling like she was underperforming. She even began questioning to why she was part of the top 9.
Mara Aquino comforts Brigida
All of this led to a breakdown on the final day of the workshop.
“There was this time noong third day, before finals namin. There was a time or exactly before finals namin, kase we were given one or two hours to prepare and dress up, nag-break down talaga ako sa room kase I felt so much pressure kase magfa-finals na po and I wasn’t able to give my best.”
She added: “Eh ka-room ko si Ate Mara (Aquino). Nakita niya na nagsa-study ako ng notes ko. Kinakausap niya ako pero nagtataka siya kase hindi ako as responsive.”
Mara Aquino saw Brigida hunched silently, and knew exactly what was going on in her mind.
“Umupo siya sa tabi ko at na-gets niya and then kinausap niya ako that time. Tinanong niya sa akin, ‘Anong nararamdaman ko? Anong naiisip ko?’" Ramos recounted. “Nasabi ko naman sa kanya na alam kong hindi ako mananalo pero nafa-frustrate ako parang, ‘Bakit po ganito yung performance ko, e I’m part of the top 9?'
“She asked, 'What was [your] mindset?’ My mindset was gusto kong ayusin tapos ayokong umuwi nang ganito.”

Brigida could still remember what Mara Aquino told her that day.
"There might be a silver lining in how you see things right now because if you know that you have nothing to lose, why not perform for the sake of performing?" Aquino told her. "Just do what you can, don’t think of anything else.”
And that’s exactly what she did. During the tri-cast simulation where she was partnered with Jay Perillo and Naisou, Brigida noticed that her mentors and peers were all staring at her, amazed with her overall delivery.
Immediately after her performance, the coaches were impressed.
“Nakita po nila na hindi ako kinakabahan. Na-touch ako kase a lot of them were proud of me. Like lumapit sila sa akin at niyakap ako ni Coach Rockhart tapos si Coach Rob (Luna).”
She added: “I felt so accomplished kase nagawa ko sa last drill yung naipakita ko when I auditioned during the caster search.”
And even if OSX would eventually end up winning the caster search, Brigida exited the competition with her head held high. And right before she exited the bootcamp to go home, Mara Aquino took the time to talk to her again and give her even more advice.
The next step
Eager to apply what she learned in the bootcamp, Brigida signed up with esports talent agency Kovenry.
"I slowly started to accept gigs kase after what happened sa caster search, one thing for sure na nakuha ko is I wanted to improve," she said. "Despite all that happened during the caster search, nakita ko po kung gaano sila ka-supportive and that everybody around you kept pushing you to be better. Na-appreciate ko efforts nila and I didn’t want it to go to waste.”
The support from her peers pushed her to keep her dreams of being in esports alive — even as she's busy juggling schoolwork.

“Yun po yung isa sa biggest struggles ko right now kase I’m actually second year college ngayon. And according to sa mga natanong ko [sa course ko], second year, second sem yung pinakamabigat. Eto nga yung semester na may pinakamaraming units."
Even so, she's determined to find the right balance between acads and esports.
She said, “Pag may work akong na naka-plan for this week, I see to it na na-accomplish ko yung modules for that week or days before.
“Super important na hindi ka mawawala sa scene. Sobrang nagiging struggle po ngayon kase sa workload sa school.”
Only time will tell if she will finally reach the MPL main stage. But when she does, her determination and her experienced surely paved the way to get her there.
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