Tuesday, July 15, 2008

ABS-CBN NEGROS M.A. EXPO HUGE SUCCESS PART I: FILIPINO M.A. @ ITS BEST By: James U. Sy Jr.

The highly explosive 1st Negros Fighting Arts Exposition was successfully held by ABS-CBN, the nation’s largest broadcasting network, in cooperation with the Negros Fighting Arts Unlimited and Robinson’s Place Bacolod last July 8, 2008 at the Fountain Area, Robinson’s Place Bacolod, Bacolod City as part of the ABS-CBN Kapamilya Sinadya in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of its Bacolod station.

13 organizations from Bacolod and Bago Cities representing 18 different systems and styles of Martial Arts supported the event, which was put together under ABS-CBN Bacolod Station Manager Leilani Salem Alba and supervied by M.O.R. Production Chief Harold Limbo with Program Producer/M.O.R. DJ James King.

Arts showcased included Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Indonesian, Brazilian, and eclectic forms of Fightign Arts. The Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) was the most represented, with 6 organizations and 3 others with Filipino elements.

Negros Fighting Arts Unlimited is the name given by the organizers to the different member organizations of the Negros Occidental Baston Federation (NOBF) of Atty. Col. Grandmaster Marcelo “Pope” C. Jalandoon, Ph.D., and Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS) under President Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo as well as independent martial arts groups who participated in the ABS-CBN presentation.

The event was originally scheduled for June 25, 2008 but had to be postponed to July 8, 2008 to give way to the ABS CBN Sagip Kapamilya to extend relief assistance to victim families of Bagyo Frank in Iloilo, Bacolod, General Santos, Roxas, Zamboanga and Metro Manila. Nevertheless, the event was a huge success with the safety mats being provided by the Province of Negros Occidental under Hon. Gov. Isidro Zayco and the City of Talisay under Hon. Mayor Eric Saratan.

Each demonstrating team had their own theme music to set the mood for the non-stop fast-paced action. Among those played were Eye of the Tiger, Final Countdown, Moment of Truth, Once Upon A Time in China, and Samurai X.

The event started off with a very short but very explosive demonstration by Founder/Master Ricardo P. Filipinas of Sacred Ki Art of Filipino Footfighting (SKAFF). Master Filipinas, wearing a black gi with a red/white belt for his 6th Degree, raised his right leg and had his assistant yellow belt Stephen Jay D. Yanson hit his upraised leg with a 2 x 2 piece of wood. 2 pieces of wood were successfully broken with no injuries to the shin. Master Filipinas was representing Sikaran, the Filipino art of footfighting founded by Grandmaster Meliton Geronimo in Baras, Rizal.

The Negros United Fighting Arts Academy (NUFAA) of Grandmaster Jose “Joe” Mancesa represented Alasabate Science (The Science of Attack), a close quarter style of Arnis that traces its roots to the late Grandmaster Dominador “Doming” Recto of Hinigaran. 2008 Arnis Philippines POF Neg. Occ. Eliminations Bantamweight champion Yvonne De La Cruz and Bago City Invitational Arnis champion Romulus Ballente showed the Whipping, Valor, and Doble Baston methods of the style.

GM Mancesa and 2 times Bago City Invitational, 2008 Arnis Philippines POF Neg. Occ. Eliminations Half Lightweight, and 2008 IMAFP Western Visayas Invitational Arnis champion Stevie John “Jan-Jan” Doctora demonstrated Tercia Vertical, Redonda, Siquete, and stick disarming.

The Golden Kamagong Arnis Kali Eskrima Association (GKAKEA), Inc. of P/Supt. (Ret.) Founder/Grandmaster Ibarra “Baring” E. Lopez showcased their style of Pekiti Tirsia Arnis, an art with a multitude of applications with different weapons and ranges. The GKAKEA Demo Team, composed of 2007 NOBF KaliSilat Bacolod Arnis champion and 2008 IMAFP Western Visayas Invitational Arnis Bronze medallist Master Carlo Barzo, Master John Mark Barzo, Senior Instructor Irra Jane Lopez, and 2008 IMAFP Western Visayas Invitational Anyo champion and 2008 Sagay City IMAFP/GKAKEA Invitational Arnis Silver medallist Senior Instructor Mary Rose “Ayumi” Lamorena, demonstrated the IMAFP standard Anyo of the Letter I and the cross, the fundamentals of Solo Baston, Doble Baston, Daga y Daga, and self defense methods against various attacks.

GM Lopez, the first Negrense to win a gold medal in WEKAF style Arnis competition in Cebu City, with the help of Grandmaster Alejandro “Alex” Doza, showcased the GKAKEA method of Espada y Daga.

Grandmaster Danilo “Danny” Cardinal led members of the KaliSilat Arnis Association (KAA) in their performance of their of KaliSilat, a style of Arnis founded by Grandmaster Jonathan “Jon” Bais of Sagay. GM Cardinal did an Anyo (form), which combined the basic attacks and defense of Arnis. The KAA Demo Team composed of Master Guilberto Dajao, Joselito Clemen, and Climaco Lumanog, showed the choreographed sequencing of various techniques into the duelo and the application of techniques in actual labanan competition.

The Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association (OFTLSFA), Inc. of 1st Generation Inheritor/Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido demonstrated the power and simplicity of Original Filipino Tapado, an indigenous long stickfighting art founded by his late uncle Grandmaster Romeo “Nono” C. Mamar in 1960 in Brgy. Taloc, Bago City. GM Lobrido with the OFTLSFA Demo Team composed of Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo, Senior Instructors Jun-Jun Maravilla, Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado, Dr. Raymund Antion A. Maguad, and Joeffrey S. Deriada, and Junior Instructors Lafayette A. Diamante and Lorema “Bing” H. Tacsagon demonstrated the basics, advanced direct hitting, and short stick of OFT.
OFTSenior Instructor John “Jun-Jun” Maravilla (right) uses Original Filipino Tapado short stick techniques to defend against the attacks of 1st Generation Inheritor/Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobriudo, the nephew of the late Founder/Grandmaster Romeo “Nono” C. Mamar, during the demonstration of the Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association (OFTLSFA), Inc. during the 1st ABS CBN Negros Fighting Arts Exposition last July 8, 2008 at the Fountain Area, Robinson’s Place Bacolod, Bacolod City (James U. Sy Jr./CMAS Photo).

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