"Laban Pilipinas" - Physical: Asia star Ray Querubin reflects on pushing limits and representing the Philippines with his team

Ray Jefferson Querubin, a member of Team Philippines in Netflix’s Physical: Asia 2025, reflected on his experience representing the country in a recent Instagram post on November 4, sharing photos with his team on set.

In the post, he wrote,

"Each athlete has their own area of expertise, and we are confident that every decision we made was the right one, with one goal: to win. Laban Pilipinas!"

Team Philippines for Physical: Asia 2025 included Manny Pacquiao, boxer; Mark “Mugen” Striegl, sambo athlete; and Ray Jefferson Querubin, Philippines’ Strongest Man winner.

The rest of the team consisted of Justin Coveney, rugby player; Robyn Lauren Brown, track athlete; Lara Lorraine Deang Liwanag, Crossfitter; and Justin Hernandez, aka Hernandez, CrossFit Games athlete, who replaced Pacquiao.

Ray Querubin reflects on representing the Philippines and pushing limits in Physical: Asia

Ray Querubin showcased team spirit throughout the game

From the start of the show, Ray followed the instructions of team captain Manny Pacquiao and supported the squad in various challenges. 

In the high-stakes Death Match against Thailand, Querubin maintained his participation and energy. During the Totem Endurance Challenge in the third quest, he partnered with Justin Coveney.

When Coveney could not continue holding the Totem, Ray accepted shared responsibility for losing the challenge.

Throughout the competition, Ray emphasized coordination and support among teammates. His Instagram post highlighted their approach to the game, stating,

"We gave our best in each challenge, believing in ourselves and recognizing our individual strengths and weaknesses." 

On November 1, Ray Querubin posted on Instagram, expressing that he felt "honored" to represent the Philippines on the international stage in Physical: Asia on Netflix, and emphasized that his team was fully committed to the competition with a unified goal.

Ray pushes limits as a Filipino strongman

Ray Querubin’s athletic career began in weightlifting at age 15, leading to a position on the Philippine Weightlifting Team and participation in the Samjon Weightlifting Team.

From 2016 to 2019, he competed in national strongman competitions and held the Philippines Strongman champion title multiple times.

He​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ was also the Static Monster Champion from 2017 to 2019 and ranked among the global top 10 of the Static Monsters leaderboard.

His outstanding show in 2017 made him a lucky participant of the Static Monsters World Championships in Gold Coast, ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌Australia.

Ray has set national records in log press and axle deadlift, including a 400 kg silver dollar deadlift. Beyond competition, he worked as a Mission Control Analyst at Teleperformance Careers Philippines from 2014 to 2017 and as a Team Manager at Ibex starting in October 2019.

Cinemaholic notes that his persistence in training and professional roles reflects his ongoing effort to maintain performance standards and personal discipline.

Ray’s athletic expansion and family focus

Outside competitive events, Ray has engaged with fans on Instagram and Facebook, sharing training routines and project updates.

He​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ started entering professional arm wrestling tournaments in October 2024, in which he also competed at TAGB Fitness Gym in Bohol.

In October 2025, he posted a video in which he was seen lifting a 350 kg car, thereby emphasizing his ongoing physical involvement and stamina.

Ray is also committed to his family, which includes his wife Tia Perez, son Khal, and daughter Kaia. According to Cinemaholic, he keeps good communication with his parents, Dioscora and Ebs Efren Querubin, whom he often consults and with whom he shares the times of his ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌life.

Stay tuned for more updates.