Teenage prodigy determined to lift billiards back into PH mainstream

MANILA — For most 10-year-olds, P10 is barely enough for a snack.

For rising cue artist Rhaki Roj Constantino, it was enough to begin a journey toward becoming the next star in Filipino billiards.

Constantino spent her school allowance at a local billiard hall in Molave, Zamboanga del Sur, following her father, who first introduced her to the sport. At first, she simply tagged along and watched him play. Before long, however, she was returning to the table almost every day, using her baon to play games that cost only P10 in her hometown.

What started as something she picked up from her father quickly became an obsession. Once she became interested in billiards, she wanted to master it as quickly as possible, turning nearly every day into another opportunity to practice and improve.

“Ako kasi ‘yung tipong tao na ‘pag may gusto ako, gusto ko siyang i-perfect na agad, or gusto ko siyang matutunan agad-agad. So noong nagkagusto ako sa billiards, halos everyday ako naglalaro. ‘Yung baon ko pinaglalaro ko sa bilyaran,” she said.

Those P10 games in Molave eventually gave way to a much bigger commitment. As her skills developed, so did the opportunities around her, taking her from a local billiard hall in Zamboanga del Sur to competitions in the capital.

At 13, Constantino began making regular trips to Manila as her pursuit of billiards became more serious. She joined Wilde Blu Juniors, a grassroots program that supported young student-athletes in cue sports, and spent about a year developing her game alongside other young players.

Her time with the program opened another door when billiards legend Django Bustamante noticed her potential and brought her into the national team system for further training.

The transition gave Constantino a new sense of independence. As her performances began attracting attention, sponsors also started approaching her with support, allowing her to shoulder some of the costs of pursuing billiards without constantly turning to her parents.

“Nakatulong siya siguro parang mas naging independent ako. I don’t need to ask my parents for money dahil sa sponsors. Lalo na noong nagka-achievements ako and noong nag-chachampion ako, mas dumami lalo ‘yung support na lumalapit,” she said.

At just 15, she is now among the country’s youngest players drawing attention on the international stage, no longer simply watching champions from afar but beginning to carve out a place alongside them.

Constantino’s rise has placed her in the company of some of the Philippines’ most accomplished women cue artists, including world champions Rubilen Amit and Chezka Centeno. 

For the prodigy, the country already has much of what is needed to produce more world-class cue artists. However, she sees the next generation as one of the sport’s biggest untapped strengths.

Constantino believes a large pool of potential professionals already exists in colleges and schools across the country, with many young players capable of competing at a higher level if given the chance.

“Ang daming players na possible na maging professional pa galing sa mga college ‘yung opportunity lang ‘yung wala,” she said.

Creating those opportunities could do more than produce the next generation of Filipino cue artists but it could also help elevate how the sport itself is viewed.

Billiards is still often associated with gambling, a perception that can influence how young players and their parents view the sport. For someone who started at 10 and eventually turned billiards into a profession, Rhaki believes that stereotype overlooks the different paths the sport can offer.

“I don’t think the sport billiard is only for [gambling]. Halos lahat ng tao, pag iisipin nila bilyar, sugal. Depende lang ‘yun sa tao. Kasi ‘yung iba, gusto lang for fun, ‘yung iba ginagawang bisyo talaga, ‘yung iba gusto maging professional,” she said.

For young players who want to follow the same path, she believes the sport needs more legitimate spaces where they can develop without billiards being defined solely by the money games often associated with it. 

More importantly, those platforms could give young players the same kind of sporting environment that has long been available to athletes in basketball and volleyball. 

Yet even when Filipino cue artists make it there, Rhaki believes their achievements still struggle to receive the same attention given in basketball, volleyball and tennis by the public. 

“Madaming Filipino na ang nag-champion nga this year pero hindi siya ka-hype parehas ng tennis, volleyball, basketball,” she said.

She believes part of that comes from how familiar Filipinos have become with winning in billiards. Because Filipino players are already expected to excel, another championship can sometimes be treated as ordinary. 

“Parang ‘di siya masyadong nare-recognize kasi naiisip siguro ng mga tao, feel ko, pagdating sa billiards parang, ‘Ay, hindi na bago na manalo.’ Kasi halos sa mga Pinoy magaling magbilyar,” she said.

For Rhaki, that familiarity should be a reason to celebrate and support Filipino billiards more, not less.

“Gusto kong maging same ng hype. Like fair. Kasi kumbaga ‘yung billiards nasa 10%, tapos ‘yung famous sports nasa 70%,” Constantino said.

“Gusto ko siyang maging, kung ano ‘yung kasikatan ng volleyball, kung sikat ‘yung volleyball players, siguro pati sana ‘yung mga billiard players,” she added.

That push for recognition mirrors Rhaki’s own journey. Now, the challenge is no longer proving that she belongs at the table but is seeing how far she and the next generation can elevate the sport as a new era begins in Philippine billiards.