Just like his roles in the Esports scene, Gerald “Dlar” Trinchera is a tank-fighter: No matter what life puts him through, he eventually survives and powers through.
“Palo lang nang palo!” has become Dlar’s battle cry in life.
Born to a carpenter and a housewife, Dlar, ONIC Philippines’ EXP Laner, has had his own share of incredible hardships that his eager smile seem to hide.
He talks about how he and his family often shared a dinner of rice and patis because they were so poor.
“Yung pamilya ko po, mahirap lang po kami, sobrang hirap lang po namin. Hindi ko po itatanggi, ‘yung nanay ko po, galing po talaga siya sa squatters’ area,” Dlar tells Esquire Philippines.
“Yung tatay ko naman po, ang trabaho niya, karpintero. Siya lang po ang kumikilos sa amin. Simula po nang mawalan ng trabaho yung nanay ko na nagtatrabaho dati sa fish cracker factory, sinabihan po siya ng tatay ko na huwag na siyang magtrabaho.”
It was because of these circumstances that Dlar was initially attracted to gaming. He used to pilot multiple accounts to help pay for his tuition fee.
“Noong panahong nag-college na ako, nagsimula akong tumulong sa tatay ko sa pamamagitan ng pagpa-pilot ng mga accounts sa iba’t ibang laro, tulad ng League of Legends. Doon po ako kumukuha ng pandagdag sa tuition fee ko.
“Piloting” a gaming account means playing on someone’s account in exchange for payment, usually for the purpose of raising that account’s in-game rank. It is discouraged in the gaming world, but many people like Dlar found it as a way to help make ends meet.
“Umabot po sa puntong patis lang po ang inuulam namin. Maraming pong araw na umabot ikami sa ganoong sitwasyon.”
On better days, they would eat fish crackers on top of rice.
“May mga times din po na inuulam namin fish crackers, maka-survive lang po.”
At the time when Dlar’s father was providing for the whole family, he was earning below minimum wage. That’s why Dlar decided to help out by piloting accounts.
“Kumikita po ako siguro ng mga P3,000 tapos sobrang taas po ng rank na kailangan abutin,” says Dlar.
But it was not just because he wanted money. He needed it badly to finish college. He sacrificed sleep just so he could earn.
“Ilang account na po yun, umabot po sa point na sobrang puyat po ako, three days straight po naglalaro. Yung tulog ko po, sa matching up lang. Laro lang po ako nang laro tapos pag kailangan ko na po ng pahinga, sa mismong matching up lang po ako natutulog tapos nagpapagising na lang po ako sa kasama ko.”
“Matching up” refers to the in-game downtime when you are waiting for other players to enter the server or game lobby. This does not usually last more than five minutes.
Dlar says he could not afford not to graduate on time because he was among the last batch of graduates not affected by the K to 12 program.
“Pag huminto po ako, aabutin po ako ng K to 12. Babalik po ako ng level. Hindi po ako huminto kaya kumayod po talaga ako para maka-graduate.”
The Harder Days on Pisonet
When Dlar was still piloting other accounts on League of Legends for cash, he did not even have a cellphone. He used to play on Pisonet.
“Mayroon po sa amin na Pisonet o minsan sa ibang computer shop, nagbabantay po ako ng computer shop para makapaglaro po ako. Minsan, galing po sa pambaon ko. Hindi po ako kumakain para makapaglaro po ako.”
There was a time when he also played Mobile Legends on PC.
“Noong wala pa po akong cellphone, sa PC lang po ako naglalaro ng Mobile Legends, hanggang sa umabot po ako sa Mythical Glory, sa PC ko lang po yun nagawa.”
Dlar was referring to an emulator of the Mobile Legends app on a desktop, and the Mythical Glory rank, the highest possible rank you can achieve in the game. This was particularly a gargantuan feat considering how difficult it was to play a mobile game on PC.
Dlar nearly ended up as a regular worker, not an Esports player.
Dlar nearly decided not to pursue becoming an Esports athlete.
There was a time when his parents issued him an ultimatum: Find work now or try out for the pro scene. At the time, Dlar was just about to finish college, and his family needed him to find work as soon as possible.
“Sabi ko sa kanila, gusto ko naman po magtrabaho pero gusto ko rin po subukan kahit isang beses kung makakapasok ako sa pro scene, kung hindi man ako palarin, magtatrabaho na lang ako.”
“Pinag-iisipan ko kung magtatrabaho na ako pagkatapos ko mag-graduate o kung magpo-pro scene ako kung makakapasok ako. Pinalad naman ako na makapasok.”
Dlar was overjoyed when he made the cut.
“Sobrang hindi ko po inaasahang makapasok ako sa pro, sobrang saya ko po. Inaasahan ko po talaga na magtatrabaho ako pagka-graduate ko.”
And the rest was history.
Team ONIC Philippines at the M3 World Championship in Singapore
How Dlar Ended up as a Mobile Legends Esports Athlete
According to Dlar, prior to competing on Mobile Legends, he and his friends formed a team named Dream High to compete in various local tournaments in other games but they noticed how Mobile Legends was becoming more popular than all the other games, and thus, more profitable.
“Bumuo kami ng team, nagpalakas kami, at sumali po kami sa qualifiers.”
But very few people know that his team was previously called Jakult, a word play on jakol or masturbation.
They eventually changed the name to Dream High when they decided to go pro.
Dlar Cries After His Team, ONIC PH, Beat BTK at the Upper Bracket Playoffs of the M3 on December 18, 2021.
Dream High was composed of some of today’s biggest names in Southeast Asian Esports: OhmyV33nus, Wise, H2Wo, Greed, Zico, and Lift.
But what would he have become if he did not pursue Esports?
“Pangarap ko talaga maging professional programmer po, since maganda naman yung nagiging performance ko sa school at dean’s lister din po ako,” Dlar tells Esquire.
“Mataas po yung chance na ma-achieve ko po yun, basta magsumikap lang po at mag-aral nang mag-aral.”
Dlar admits he was not very studious as a student.
“Hindi po ako talaga aral nang aral, mabilis lang po ako matuto. Saka after ng school po kasi, laro lang po talaga ako nang laro.”
Dlar’s classes would start at 8 a.m. and end at night. He would go home just to eat, and then start playing until morning. Because of his ungodly gaming routine, he became well known in his community.
But while many people found this amusing, his parents were not so pleased.
Dlar’s mother and father lectured him about playing too much computer games.
“Napapagsabihan po nila ako noon, pero napapagalitan po ako kapag nagpupuyat po ako nang malala, pag inuumaga po ako sa laro at may pasok pa po ako.”
Dlar has also had his share of sneaking out of the house at dawn just to play and earn money from piloting accounts.
“Minsan po, tumatakas po ako sa umaga kahit hindi ako pinapayagan maglaro sa computer shop. Mga 2 a.m. po ako aalis. Kadalasan po kasi natutulog mga magulang ko 11 p.m.
But despite his numerous mischiefs and nights of sneaking out, he remembers the countless pieces of advice shared by his parents and family.
“Mahalaga po talaga yung mga pinapayo ng pamilya. Tinutulungan nila akong magkaroon ng positive mindset. Kung ano mang problema ang dumating, labanan lang nang labanan ang problema, huwag lang susuko. Iyong mga sinasabi sa akin ng mga magulang ko, iyon talaga ang tumatatak sa akin.”
‘Dapat maranasan ng pamilya ko yung nararanasan ng iba.’
Although Dlar has significantly gained more followers and is no longer poor, his goal has never changed: Everything he does is for his parents and family.
Full of conviction, his Dlar has a few choice words about his true goal:
“Dapat maranasan ng pamilya ko yung nararanasan ng iba.”
“Pangarap ko magkaron ang pamilya ko ng mas magandang buhay. Gusto ko pong maging mayaman sila, makuha nila ang mga gusto nilang gamit, yung mga pinapangarap nilang gamit, yung mga gala-gala.”
Dlar gazes at something we could not see, then reminisces.
“Noong panahon kasing wala pa ako sa pro, parang himala pag naranasan namin yung mga ganoong sitwasyon. Kahit gala lang po sa Luneta, sobrang tuwang-tuwa na po kaming maranasan iyon.”
That’s why when Dlar finally got his hands on a significant amount of money, the first thing he thought was his family.
“Noong unang nakatikim po ako ng malalaking pera, una pong pumasok sa isip ko ay ipagawa po yung bahay namin at tulungan ko po ang pamilya ko. Inuna ko po talaga ang pamilya ko,” Dlar says.
Dlar admits that although he earns significantly more than what he used to, he still spends very little for himself.
“Syempre may ibang mga tao na magsasabi na gastusin mo para sa sarili mo yung pera mo kasi pinaghirapan mo yan. Ako po hindi, pamilya po talaga ang inuuna ko,” says Dlar.
“Kahit ngayon pa rin po, kaunti lang po nabibili kong mga gamit para sa sarili ko, pamilya ko pa rin inuuna ko.”
Among the things he is most proud of that he spent for his parents is home improvement. He revealed that their house is made of wood and stands over a creek.
“Yung side po kasi namin talaga sa bahay, kahoy lang po yun tapos may tubig sa ilalim. Yun pa po yung hinihigaan namin. Ngayon po, maganda na yung hinihigaan namin, mayroon na po kaming kama at may tiles na po yung sahig.”
Now, Dlar aims to transfer his parents to a better house.
“Pangarap ko pong makalipat po kami at magkaroon po kami ng magandang bahay. Yung sobrang luwag po at iwas sa mga stress. Gusto ko po kasi maging healthy po mga magulang ko dahil may mga edad na po kasi sila.”
Right now, much of Dlar’s earnings go to investments and savings.
“Yung iba po, pinang-i-invest ko po. Yung sa salary ko po, kalahati po noon hindi ko po puwedeng gastusin, iilalaan ko po sa ipon ko.”
Dlar’s investments are in businesses such as his own clothing brand and a vaping juice called Juicy Legends by Dlar. He also owns an Axie Infinity account, in which he is a manager and has several scholars under him.
Dlar is also preparing for the day when Mobile Legends, from which much of his income comes from, is no longer popular.
Pag may pangarap ka sa buhay, wag ka susuko, palo lang nang palo kahit sobrang hirap.
“Siguro po bago dumating yung panahong hindi na sikat ang Mobile Legends, dapat marami na akong na-invest o marami na akong business noon.
“Dapat marami na rin akong ipon tulad ng emergency fund, sobrang importante sa akin noon. Bago ako umalis sa pro scene, dapat nakamit ko na ang mga plano ko.”
And his advice to anyone who wishes to become pro?
“Masasabi ko po talaga, dapat palo lang po talaga nang palo habang nandito pa ako.”
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