Why Kielvj Turned Down Bigger Salaries Overseas

Some players chase the bigger contract. Others chase the louder crowd. Kiel Vj Cruzem, aka Kielvj, chose to come home.

As MPL Philippines Season 17 gears up for its March 21 opening, the returning pro comes home for the chance to win where it matters most to him.

“Choice ko po talaga na bumalik,” Kielvj said. “Kahit may offer po ako sa ibang bansa, tinatanggihan ko.”

He wasn’t bluffing. The offers were real, and they were bigger. Salaries abroad can stretch far beyond what most local rosters can match—China, Malaysia, Indonesia, all viable landing spots for Filipino imports.

Kielvj had doors open. He closed them himself.

“Kahit mas malaki yung offer sa ibang bansa?” we asked.

“Opo,” he answered simply. 

“Mas gusto ko po kasing iprioritize yung passion ko na manalo, yung pagiging competitive. Bumalik po ako sa dati ko ng sarili na sobrang gigil manalo. Gusto ko pong patunayan iyon.”

This isn’t the decision of a player trying to rebuild his résumé.

“May kumukuha nga po sa akin sa Indonesia bago po ako mag AP BREN, tinanggihan ko po. Sabi ko po may team na po ako kahit hindi pa po ako nakaka pirma ng kontrata.”

‘Kapag nag-champion ka sa Pilipinas, parang nanalo ka na rin ng worlds.’

Kielvj already owns a title from China. He has proven he can win abroad. What he wants now is something different: proof that he can still dominate in the Philippines’ brutally stacked ecosystem.

“Na-miss ko rin po kasi yung comms na walang language barrier. Gusto ko rin po makita yung laro ko kung malaki po ba talaga ang naging improvement ko sa ibang bansa. Gusto ko rin po patunayan sa mga tao na kaya ko pa rin po makipagsabayan sa Pilipinas.”

The statement isn’t defensive. It’s competitive. MPL Philippines isn’t just another regional league; it’s the measuring stick. Here, reputations get tested weekly, and every playoff run feels like a qualifier for the world stage.

For Kielvj, a Philippine trophy now carries a heavier meaning than before.

“Ngayon po iba na kasi sinasabi nila na yung dating trophy madali lang, walang macro. Ngayon po, mahirap at lahat ng team, kaya maging champion. Kapag nag-champion ka sa Pilipinas, parang nanalo ka na rin ng worlds.”

He doesn’t say it lightly. The league he’s returning to is crowded with contenders: perennial powerhouses, rebuilt lineups, and unpredictable dark horses capable of wrecking anyone’s playoff dreams. There are no easy weeks here, no guaranteed brackets, no comfortable reads on the meta or the opposition.

“Ang dami pong competitive dito,” he said. “Hindi siya katulad sa ibang bansa na kita mo at basado mo ang laro.”

MPL Philippines Season 17 hasn’t started yet. But Kielvj has already made his opening move.

Now comes the harder part: proving the choice was worth it.

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