QUIET and usually seen with only a shy smile, this is how fans have come to know Team Liquid’s sixth man John “Perkz” Sumawan.
Yet beneath the calm demeanor is someone who works tirelessly behind the scenes—not for attention or acclaim, but as the youngest son who has learned to carry his family forward through unconditional love.
Despite his young age, Perkz already understands what truly matters in life, choosing to shoulder responsibilities well beyond his years without hesitation.
The Bunso Who Stepped Up
When asked about the $320,000 champion’s prize that might be awaiting Team Liquid at M7, Perkz spoke not only with his own future in mind, but with his family’s welfare at heart.
He spoke with the certainty of someone whose priorities were already set in stone, revealing that half of the potential winnings would be allotted for his family, while the other half would be invested in gold.
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“The other half, I’ll use to help my family, and then the remaining half I’ll invest in gold,” Perkz told SPIN.ph in an exclusive interview.
At the heart of it all is a simple but wholehearted reason: to give back to his mother, whose sacrifices carried Perkz through life after the loss of his father.
A mother’s love truly knows no limits—taking on countless jobs, even selling goods at the market, all in pursuit of giving her son a better life.
“It feels like a debt of gratitude I owe my mom, because my dad passed away when I was very young—maybe around six or seven years old. She truly handled everything on her own. She did everything she could to make sure I could go to school. She took on so many side jobs just to support my education. I want to give back to her for everything she’s done in the near future,” Perkz said, determined to reciprocate his mother’s love and sacrifices.
Though he grew up as the youngest sibling, life shaped Perkz to mature faster than most. Today, his life in esports helps sustain the household, easing financial burdens and supporting the needs of his older brother, who lives with a recurring medical condition.
“The condition of my brother is that he is getting seizures and it’s my responsibility too to also take care of him,” he added.
A Dream That Started With A Leap of Faith
Perkz’s journey into professional play truly began in the MPL Philippines Season 10 with RSG Philippines—a leap of faith into esports, taken at a time when the future offered no guarantees, only belief, grit, and hope.
Parents rarely envision esports when imagining their child’s future. So when Perkz told his mother about his aspirations, she was shocked. It was a career path unfamiliar and uncertain—but one she would eventually learn to embrace.
“She was shocked at first but supportive, she wanted me to go to college. But, I feel like I’ll just have a hard time since I don’t have a source of income back then,” he explained, choosing to set aside his studies to pursue esports as the family’s primary provider.
From there, Perkz continued to chase growth, moving from ONIC Philippines in Season 12, to Minana EVOS in Season 13, and later Blacklist International in Season 14, where he last played on the MPL stage.
Season after season, the MPL title remained elusive for Perkz until Team Liquid discovered his talents and tactical brilliance.
More than Team Liquid's ‘Sixth Man’
Working as the team’s sixth man, Perkz carries out the unseen labor that keeps Team Liquid sharp. While some may assume trophies come easily without the pressure of playing on stage, the reality is far different.
Perkz’s impact goes beyond the bench—he identifies areas for improvement, collaborates closely with the coaching staff, and offers tactical insights that MLBB legend Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno deeply respects.
“Most of the time as a sixth man, we are the ones who notice the mistakes of the players. From our point of view, we are able to see the right and wrong things they are doing in the game,” Perkz said.
“Sometimes Karl is the one who approaches me to ask things about the game,” he added.
Perkz was among those who went home for the holidays to celebrate Christmas with family in his hometown in Pampanga, before his duties pulled him away sooner than he would have liked in preparation of the M7 World Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia.
“I went home for Christmas, but for New Year, I couldn’t anymore because the time frame was too short to go back and forth between the bootcamp and home,” he told SPIN.ph.
As the new year began without him at home, Perkz carried the hopes and dreams of a family that survived on sacrifice—and now looks toward a future built on his courage on the world stage.
Win or lose at M7, Perkz has already shown that strength isn’t always loud—sometimes it’s quietly holding it all together.
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