The role of KALARO in the ongoing “Manny Pacquiao Chess Philippines” (MPCP) tournament series reflects the commitment to building sustainable pathways for both traditional and emerging sports that aligns the support and long-term vision of KALARO founder and CEO Jun D. Lasco.

“First, Manny Pacquiao is a world-class athlete. He is a global legend and someone who knows how to start from the very bottom and eventually reach the pinnacle of his sport,” said Lasco in a media briefing Saturday, January 24 at the TGI Friday’s American Bar & Grill at the Robinson’s Place Galleria in Quezon City.

That mindset, he said, is fundamental to KALARO’s philosophy, and beyond Pacquiao’s legacy, the choice of chess was deliberate.

“Manny Pacquiao loves chess even more than 20-plus years ago, and chess is also considered an esport. Filipinos have shown the world early on, via Eugene Torre, that our chess players are indeed world-class,” he said.

KALARO intentionally focuses on underserved sports, according to Lasco, saying: “Everyone is into basketball, but there are so many other sports where Filipinos can excel, and one of them is chess.”

With KALARO 3.0’s automation and live video broadcast features, chess tournaments can scale nationwide quickly and efficiently. Behind the scenes, KALARO supports the tournament end to end.

“From player registration, team formation, matching or bracketing, all the way to the championship round,” Lasco said, adding that the platform’s live video  broadcasts together with its built-in social media feature entices brand participation, which allows organizers to better monetize.

“Even after the tournament and video broadcast have finished, there is continuous fan and player online engagement,” he added as player performance is also recorded in KALARO 3.0 to help build the historical profile of athletes.

“KALARO treats every league owner and tournament organizer as serious business entities,” Lasco said, noting that this includes accreditation, onboarding, and strict adherence to terms of use, both legally and operationally. 

For athletes, Lasco emphasized that competition is non-negotiable.

“Tournaments are the only way to train and make every athlete gain mastery. Without joining actual events and tournaments, no athlete can level up his performance. Just like when the Olympics started, the foundation is simple. Match the best among the best to play against each other through actual tournaments to create continuous sports mastery,” he said.

“This philosophy is the foundation of KALARO today and in the future.”