Other blogs will probably be writing about Manny Pacquiao and Barrera, but I choose to be different. When Ragnarok Online came to the Philippines, it became an instant hit. Literally thousands of Pinoy gamers moved in to Midgard and started grinding their asses to become the most powerful player in the game. But there are certain people that belong to an uber elite class called the gamemasters or GMs. They are super powerful characters by default who act as the peacekeepers in the game and they are actually employed by the publishing company.

One particular GM has made a significant impact with the players, and she is well loved (and hated) by many. She used to work with Philippine Ragnarok Online (pRO) but now she has gone overseas. She needs no further introduction, I give you, GM Phage!

Master Diwa: Hello GM Phage, let’s get down to business.
GM Phage: Aight.
MD: What’s your real name?
GMP: Ching. Short for Consolacion Francisco Merano. Haha! Haba eh~!

MD: Where are you right now?
GMP: Ho Chí Minh City, Viet Nam (formerly known as Sài Gòn)

MD: Cool! Is it easy to learn Vietnamese?
GMP: Hell no. It’s harder than learning Korean IMHO. It’s very tonal - magkamali ka ng tono, it’s a different word na and people won’t understand you. Pero ok naman na ako. I can speak and write Vietnamese na.

MD: How do you say, “amp” in Vietnamese? Haha!
GMP: Ac!

MD: Are people friendly in Vietnam ?
GMP: Very much so.

MD: How was your work with Level-Up Games?
GMP: It’s part of the best years of my life. I matured in that company. Level Up! Inc. (LU) took me in and brought me up from a gamer to a professional in the online gaming industry. I won’t be here if not for LU. I owe them a lot.

MD: How about VinaGame? Is it similar to Level Up games in terms of working environment?
In most honesty, no. The working atmosphere between the two companies is so different.

LU, during my time there, had Beer Days (which I love amidst my allergy to barley), I had a hot boss (Attention Ben Colayco) who is one of the reasons why I love going to work, I was allowed to play music as loud as I want, I am allowed to work until 2:00 AM and I do not need a translator. Everyone knows everyone. *laughs* LU was my second family.

In VNG, everyone is young yet professional. The average age of employees here is 24 and 90% are gamers. All ideas are fresh and all directions are for gamers. The owners are gamers too and very hands-on up to the smallest details. I can’t remember people’s names since there are 800 people to memorize. *sweat drop*

MD: What game are you handling right now at VinaGame?
GMP: Vietnam Ragnarok Online. I also work for Zing. Zing is like Google Search, Yahoo Messenger and YouTube in one - but Vietnamese.

MD: Did you ever get homesick at Vietnam ?
GMP: Oh yeah… *sighs* I do.

I miss my mom. I miss my siblings and their families. I miss my dog. I miss my ex-boyfriend (no kidding). I miss my house. I miss Glorietta, Megamall, Mall of Asia . I miss my friends. I miss my guildmates. I miss GM Battlechaser, GM Huggybear, GM Anael, GM Jibrille. I miss Pacific Star. I miss the pares at the back of Pacific Star. I miss Pasig , Makati and Cebu . I miss the spas in Cebu . I miss sinigang, adobo, kaldereta, kare kare, lechon, pinakbet, tapsilog, leche flan… I can go on and on…

Sejinn (jRO Gravity Server Administrator), me and Saewon (thRO Gravity Overseas Support)

MD: How do Pinoy gamers compare to Vietnamese gamers in general?
GMP: Most Pinoy gamers are more on the community as aspect of games. “I play this game because my friends play this game.” Vietnamese gamers are more on entertainment. “I play this game because I’m bored and this entertains me.” Anyway, I see a change recently. More and more Vietnamese gamers are beginning to see games the way Pinoys do.

MD: Do you miss the Pinoy gamers?
GMP: Very much.

MD: *sniffs* Did you always dream of working with the gaming industry?
GMP: My childhood dream was working as a P.A. in a department store. “Mr. Boromeo… Mr. Boromeo… Please proceed to the Customer Service counter now… Calling the parents of a lost boy wearing yellow shirt, maong pants and white shoes…” But life is cruel and it didn’t work out. Now I had to settle working as a Community Manager in the number one online game publisher in Vietnam . *laughs* I’m glad I chose this path. Thanks to GM Praetor for that.

MD: Hahaha that’s crazy! Now, let’s have a little blast from the past… Back when you were still playing pRO, you formed the all-girl guild, Shadowmaidens, where are the members now?
GMP: For the record, I didn’t form it. I’m just one of those who did.

Where are the maidens? They grew up. Some migrated to Canada and the US , one is now a doctor, the other is a dentist, and another is now a nurse. Some of them now works for other online game publishers in the Philippines . I can’t mention their names. Nagpaalam ako kung ok lang. Kahit position ayaw nila ipaalam. Secret daw. *laughs* The others are still playing pRO, most are playing other games. Some got married na. Even our guildmistress is now happily married and has a beautiful son.

MD: GM Phage was the most popular GM in pRO not to mention most controversial too, you we’re accused of many things, I hope you can enlighten our readers with your side of the story.
GMP: Ganyen? Sige shoot!

MD: Back in Agit Lords 2006, you were accused of “turning a blind eye” against a certain contender guild, while allegedly “bullying” another contender guild in the issue of using 3rd party programs during siege time. What can you say on this?
GMP: Teka… ‘di ba guild mo to?

MD & GMP: *laughs*

GMP: Yes I remember this. Because of that issue, there were patrols made by GMs. We’d jump from one emperium room to another and randomly pick people up and make them do stuff while they’re defending so they can prove na hindi sila bot. The funny part is, yun nagsumbong para manghuli kami - ang nahuli naming na nagbo-bot. Panalo! At sila pa ang galit.

That was the same night na sinugod ako sa Makati Med nila GM Battlechaser and Anael. Hypertension.

Sabi ng doctor “What were you doing before this happened?”
Ako: “Playing Ragnarok.”
Doctor: “Stop playing Ragnarok.”
Ako: “Are you crazy?”
GM Anael: “Ano, Ma’am? Buntis ka no?”
Ako: “Amp!”

MD: You were also accused of helping a certain open-beta guild rise above the ranks by supplying them GM generated items, equips and giving them under the table stat/skill resets. What is your response on this?

GMP: Ows? Sinong guild to?

MD: Allegedly, the Untouchables guild.

GMP: Amp! Not true. Hello. Tampalin ko pa guildmaster nyan eh. (*waves* Hi nie! I still love you!)

(After intense research, I found out that “Nie” is Biogesick. pRO’s first Hunter and UT’s Grand Guildmaster from 2003. He’s GM Phage’s ex-boyfriend. XD)

MD: So… did you?
GMP: NO!

MD: Ok ok! XD What is your opinion regarding botting or the use of 3rd party programs in MMORPGs?
GMP: Oh yeah… LU knows my opinion on this. I’m still trying to accept it. I still can’t seem to. *chuckles* Pero malapit na.

MD: Facing reality, the gaming industry is still a business, so there’s always friction between profit and gaming integrity. If it were up to you, which of the two would you give more emphasis? Why?
GMP: Wow… that’s hard. If I am one of the stock holders for that game, I’d say business. But I will play something else. *laughs*

MD: Now let’s go to the lighter side of GM Phage, Is it true that you found love in pRO? /lv
GMP: Yeah I found lots of love. Kakainis ka naman eh! Kailangan talaga may ganitong mga tanong?

MD: Hahahahaha!

GMP: Tawa ka dyan. Ok. To make it short, I did. We lasted for 3 years. It ended a few months ago. So ayan… single na naman. *laughs* Goodluck sa ‘kin. Kung may interesado pumalit sa kanya, add nyo ako sa Y! Messenger. that_evil_chick *laughs*

MD: Naks! Aside from gaming, what else do you do for fun?
GMP: I go clubbing, biking, yoga (sozyal!), poi/zips by the beach.

MD: Sosyal nga! What other games are you into right now aside from the ones you work on?
GMP: Secret. I’d rather not say!!! I was never very open about the other games I play eh.

MD: How was I as your GM in you short stay at Grand Lethal? LOL!
GMP: Panalo ka! Ayos ka! Thumbs up! Hehe. You can keep a secret. I like that. *laughs*

MD: LOL!

GMP: I would like to take this opportunity to say hello to my other guildmasters in Armada, Untouchables, Armageddon, Armed n Loaded, Apocalypse, Steel Wolves, Alliance and Shadow Circle . Thanks for letting me in your guild although some of you did not know it was me. It was very educational.

MD: You run several online blogs, would you like to explain each blog and invite our readers as well?
GMP: My other blogs aren’t exactly for public viewing. I maintain just one blog for the past years. It’s called Real Life Online. I got its name from a friend who worked as a GM in ABS-CBN Interactive a long time ago. He once mentioned that if he we’re in a game, this would be the name of this game. He inspired me. (Naks!)

At the top of the homepage is my explanation: “Life is a massively-multiplayer game developed by uber awesome GOD on hardcore mode server where karma is the Game Master enforcing game policies 24/7. Do not Bot in Life for you will miss all the good stuff as Life is about EXP and not about levels. Gain EXP as you battle the monsters in Life. For EXP increases your stats and skills for even higher level monsters you will definitely encounter. Prosperity or downfall depends on PT rate and socialization frequency. Balanced gaming is recommended.”

It’s all about me. Vain? No. Just expressive like most bloggers out there.
MD: What will you say to those aspiring to work in the gaming industry?
GMP: Beh~!
MD: And lastly, what’s your message for all the players of Philippine Ragnarok Online?
GMP: Pakabait kayo ha! Iniinit nyo ulo ni GM Jibrille! Haha!

I miss them very much. I’d like to thank them for remembering me and appreciating what I did for them when I was still there (pRO GMs still forward Ragnaboards links to me). I’m touched. Thank you very much.

MD: Astig!

GM Huggybear, Battlechaser, me and Jibrille during my recent visit to Manila .

And there you have it folks, GM Phage straight from Vietnam! Thank you for sharing your exciting experiences in the gaming industry GM Phage, good luck in your career and we hope to hear more from you soon!

Stay tuned for more gamer updates coming soon, only here at The Master’s Den!