Negrense doctor to represent Philippines in Pokémon worlds

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

To catch them all, you really have to be at the top of your craft.

And that’s exactly what Dr. Christian Paul A. Salmingo, a 27-year-old native of Talisay City, Negros Occidental, did to reach the pedestal of one of the world’s best-selling Nintendo Switch console games, Pokémon VGC.

What started as a spark has now turned into fire, as Salmingo became the only Ilonggo to represent the Philippines in the most prestigious Pokémon competition in the world, the Pokémon World Championships, to be held in San Francisco, California, from Aug. 28 to 30, 2026.

To earn a direct ticket to the Pokémon World Championships, Salmingo had to get through the grinder against 120 players during the Pokémon Master Ball League, the Philippines’ highest-rated tournament, on April 25, 2026, at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay.

Salmingo quickly gained momentum after completing the opening phase with an undefeated record, which was enough to secure him a seat in the final stage of the Master Ball League.

The first set of matches consisted of Swiss rounds, a tournament format in which all competitors had to go up against one another regardless of their win-loss records.

Salmingo then entered the championship round after sweeping the Swiss stage, entering the top four overall rankings with a final record of eight wins and one loss.

Little did he know that a simple hobby would turn into something big. After just two years of playing Pokémon VGC, Salmingo is now one of the best players in the Philippines and will have the chance to shock the world once he arrives in San Francisco.

“Qualifying for the Worlds felt surreal,” Salmingo said in an exclusive interview with Daily Guardian.

“It’s something I’ve worked toward since I started, and finally achieving it means a lot. Not just for me, but for everyone who supported me along the way.”

Salmingo fell in love with the game in 2024, when he was still finishing medical school at West Visayas State University.

What began as an interest during the pandemic became more serious when he purchased a Nintendo Switch, the video game console used in the competitive scene of Pokémon VGC.

Representing the Mezagoza Masskaras, Salmingo earned his biggest break several years ago, placing second in his first local Pokémon VGC tournament.

It then became his stepping stone, as the second-place finish further boosted his confidence and momentum.

The grind never stopped.

Despite juggling his duties as a medical practitioner and a Pokémon enthusiast, Salmingo personified the perfect balance of responsibility and leisure, showing that everyone deserves a break to unwind and reset.

For Salmingo, Pokémon has been a valuable hobby alongside a demanding medical career. It awakened his competitive mindset while giving him a healthy outlet for stress.

Playing the game trained him to be more deliberate and thoughtful, not just in front of the screen, but also in how he approached his exams and clinical decision-making.

“When you’re down, breathe and refocus. Everything else doesn’t matter once you’ve fully committed to your goal,” Salmingo added.

“I’d like to thank my NeO Pokémon VGC family, Earl, Cat, Van, and Ken; my Mezagoza Masskaras teammates, Vincent, Robert, Josh, and EGE; and Francis, Jeremy, Ryan, Khun, and Billy. This journey was never a solo run.”

Time to catch them all, Doc! Break a leg at the Worlds and make the Ilonggos proud!