FOR FIGHTING GAMES fans in the Philippines, attending the REV Major is their chance to meet the big names in the esports scene.
Local standouts like Alexandre "AK Laverez and Andreij "Doujin" Albar would try to deliver their best performances in their home turf, while the most renowned international players like YUYU, Lim "Ulsan" Soo-hoon, and Bae "Knee" Jae-Min combined with the World Circuit esports tournaments would add to the overall prestige of the event.
However, the event isn't always about the bigtime competitive players in the scene as it is also an opportunity for casual players to not only interact with the headline names, but also experience the grind of becoming a professional player.
But ultimately it's all about one important piece...the community.
Enter Angelo Panabang, a doctor by profession, who attended the event straight from a shift, most evident from his overall attire.
He competed in both Tekken 7 and Street Fighter 6 events, wearing medical scrubs which ultimately inspired his in-game name (IGN), FromDutyMD.

From duty to the arena
"I passed through the hospital. That's the nature behind my in-game name, FromDutyMD. After I'm on duty, that's when I play. That's basically the story of my IGN," said Panabang in an exclusive with SPIN.ph
Living up to his name, Panabang narrated how he traversed to the venue. This wasn't the first time where he entered the REV Major from a night shift schedule.
It was his love for fighting games and its community that motivated him.
"I just passed by the hospital, finished some stuff, and then go straight back here, around 10 am," explained FromDutyMD.
He added: "I was on duty last night. It was the same thing last year. I came from the hospital and then come straight here. That's something you kind of prepare beforehand. Sometimes I don't get to practice, but just to have fun and meet your friends. That's why I come to this event."
Yet despite coming all the way from the hospital, Panabang managed to reach the venue in time. It took him an hour to reach the SMX Convention Center.
He may not be the most heralded name in the scene, but he still has the professionalism desired from an esports athlete.
"I think that's one of the things I'm scared of: being late for my first match because when I join tournaments, the goal is to not go 0-2. So as much as possible I don't want to lose the first fight," he revealed.

For the love of the game
While it may be a longshot for Panabang to compete in the World Tour events, his love for fighting games has always been a part of his life.
What brought him deeper into the scene are the strong bonds that were formed.
"I don't remember how I got into fighting games, but it's just something that happens organically. When I commute from school, I actually pass through some arcades. I thought, this is kind of cool," started FromDutyMD.
"Then I also have a console at home. What you practice at home, you can bring to the arcades. Then you meet a lot of people. You just push each other to improve. That's the good thing about the Fighting Game community, I guess."
And even when time is against him, he still managed to squeeze his way to play the game. Despite having an overloaded schedule during his time as a med student, Panabang wasn't able to join tournaments, but he still plays the game.
"Actually, I don't practice too much, it's just an everyday thing. When you get home, you're not doing anything, you're not studying, just hop in rank and you just learn from there," he reflected.
Will we expect to see him in more of these events? He began his journey back in 2019 and he is planning to join each iteration saying, "So, every year I try to compete. I try to take time off to compete in the REV Major. I'm not really that good. So yeah, I just take time off and have fun inside."
He may be ranked 97th out of 253 in Tekken 7 and 33rd out of 97 in Street Fighter 6, but it seems nothing can stop this FromDutyMD's relentless passion.
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