Ahrold celebrates as he emerged victorious at the GameZone Tour Tongits Plus Championship Cup Season 4.
For most players, the GameZone Tour Tongits Plus Championship Cup Season 4 was about one thing: the chance to take home the P5 million grand prize. For Ahrold Tubig, it became something much deeper — a journey marked by pain, faith, and the fulfillment of a long-held promise to his late sons.
When the Pampanga-based tongits player captured the title on March 8 in Pasay City, he did more than outplay the field under the bright lights of the tournament stage. He turned a moment of personal victory into one of healing for his family.
Behind Tubig’s championship run is a heartbreaking story that has stayed with him for years. His twin sons, Poll and Pitt, were born prematurely in December 2019 and initially fought to survive in the neonatal intensive care unit. But what began with hope soon turned into tragedy. Poll developed an infection while in the hospital, prompting doctors to allow Pitt to go home first to protect him.
Poll was eventually discharged on February 20, 2020, and for a few brief days, the twins were finally together at home. That joy, however, was short-lived. Just five days later, Poll had to be rushed back to the hospital, where he later died on February 28.
Ahrold Tubig clasped hands in joy after the final round of the Tongits Plus Champions Cup finals.
The family tried to carry on through grief, but another devastating blow came the following year. After celebrating Pitt’s first birthday, he suddenly fell ill on Poll’s death anniversary. What was first thought to be dengue was later diagnosed as sepsis. On March 4, 2021, Pitt also passed away.
The back-to-back losses left a permanent ache in Tubig’s life. They also left him with a promise he hoped one day to fulfill: to bring his sons together in peace by placing their graves side by side.
That quiet promise became one of the driving forces behind his campaign in the Tongits Plus Championship Cup.
Tubig’s road to the title was anything but easy. He had to survive the revival round, where he found himself heavily challenged by fellow contender Nanay Pilar. But rather than crumble, he fought his way back with patience and composure, earning a place in the semifinals and keeping his title hopes alive.
In the finals, the pressure only intensified. Nanay Pilar entered with momentum, while Gina Bengco also stood as a strong challenger. Pilar controlled the early going and looked poised to dominate, but Tubig stayed calm and trusted his game. When the moment demanded it, he responded with the sharp instincts and calculated decisions of a seasoned player.
After being outmatched in earlier stages, Tubig engineered a dramatic turnaround in the final round. He regained momentum, countered Pilar’s advantage, and delivered the performance that ultimately secured him the championship and the tournament’s biggest prize.
For Tubig, the victory felt guided by more than skill alone. Before the tournament, he and his family had visited the graves of Poll and Pitt on the anniversaries of their deaths. He said he spoke to them there and believed they were watching over him throughout the competition. In his heart, the championship was not something he won alone.
He also made clear that family remained his greatest source of strength. More than strategy or experience, it was their memory and his love for them that pushed him through every round.
What makes Tubig’s story powerful is that it goes beyond cards, competition, and prize money. His win became a symbol of grace after grief — proof that even after profound loss, there can still be moments of redemption.
Yet even in celebration, Tubig kept his feet on the ground. He used the moment to remind aspiring players to practice restraint and responsibility, urging them to play with limits and to stop when necessary. He also encouraged those who dream of joining GameZone tournaments to keep believing that perseverance can eventually pay off.
Now, the fruits of his championship will help make good on the promise he has carried for years. Tubig and his family are finally able to bring Poll and Pitt together in their final resting place. Part of his winnings will also go to their local chapel, which was badly damaged by recent flooding and now stands to benefit from the family’s generosity.
In the end, Ahrold Tubig’s victory was more than a tournament win. It was a deeply human story of loss, resilience, and a father finally finding a measure of peace through a promise fulfilled.