FUJAIRAH, UAE—Six more Filipinos made it to the Last 64 of the 2012 World 8-Ball championship, bringing to nine the number of Philippine bidders in the next round of the $156,000 tournament.

Reigning PH national open titlist Carlo Biado defeated Francisco Diaz-Pizarro of Spain 7-2, while veteran Roberto Gomez crushed Luke Rollinson of England, 7-3, in Group M on a good day for Filipinos, easily among the favorites in this five-day tournament offering $20,000 to the champion.

Other Filipino cue artists who advanced were Raymund Faraon, Demosthenes Pulpul, Elmer Haya and Elvis Calasang.

Faraon breezed through the main draw, beating local bet Ahmed Al Hosani, 7-1, before ousting Nick Van den Berg of the Netherlands, 7-4, in two Group N matches, but Pulpul, Haya and Calasang struggled before making it.

Pulpul downed Austria’s Albin Ouschan, 7-6 in a Group J playoff, while Haya and Calasang defeated Yousti Chaouki of Maritius and Al Howri Hanni of the host country, respectively, via similar scores.

Defending champion is Dennis Orcollo of the Philippines, who advanced early in the day along with Lee Vann Corteza and Joven Alba.

The Last 64 stage is a single round, race-to-11 knockout affair.

Orcollo, the Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Year for 2011, opens his Last 64 bid against Lee Chenman of Hong Kong.

Alba battles Ahmad Jallad of Jordan, Biado takes on Haya in an all-Filipino duel, Gomez plays Mario He of Austria, Pulpul meets Hwang of Korea, Faraon tangles with Ko Pin-yi of Taiwan and Calasang opposes Japanese Yukio Akagariyama.