ABS-CBN NEGROS M.A. EXPO HUGE SUCCESS PART II: 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 the station’s Bacolod office.

In the sixth presentation, Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr. and Chapter Head Lafayette A. Diamante of the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. demonstrated self defense from a seated position, chair defense against a knife, pangamut contra sundang, pang-agaw, and pang-garote (stick strangulation).
CMASFounder/Master James U. Sy Jr. (standing) and Chapter Head Lafayette A. Diamante of the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. demonstrate a Conceptual Filipino Martial Art technique of using a chair against a knife attack during the 1st ABS CBN Negros Fighting Arts Exposition last July 8, 2008 at the Fountain Area, Robinson’s Place Bacolod, Bacolod City (CMAS Photo).

Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr. (standing) and Chapter Head Lafayette A. Diamante of the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. demonstrate a Conceptual Filipino Martial Art technique of using a chair against a knife attack during the 1st ABS CBN Negros Fighting Arts Exposition last July 8, 2008 at the Fountain Area, Robinson’s Place Bacolod, Bacolod City (CMAS Photo).

Other members of the CMAS Demo Team, composed of Founder/Master Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado, Chapter Head Dr. Raymund Antion A. Maguad, Instructor Joeffrey S. Deriada, and Lorema “Bing” H. Tacsagon, performed the single and double touch versions of the Two-Man Form of Long Ying Quan, a Southern Chinese style of Kung Fu descended from Grandmaster Lao Kun of Manila to Paul Lim Miranda Sifu and Donald Gillera Sifu to Dr. Maguad and to CMAS.

The Black Falcon Martial Arts Association-Main (BFMAA-Main), led by its Chief Instructor and Wushu Federation of the Philippines (WFP) Negros Occidental Coordinator Master Joery C. Amante, 4th Degree Black Belt, presented the tournament format of Wushu Sanshou (Martial Art Free Hand), a modern sportive interpreation of traditional Chinese fighting concepts and techniques developed by the Mainland Chinese Government in the 20th Century.

2008 Philippine Wushu Sanshou champion and 2008 Philippine National Amateur Boxing Silver medallist Reynalyn “Ren-Ren” C. Jacob and 2007 LGDC West Visayas Wushu Sanshou Silver medallist Ma. Christina Bianan fought an exhibition bout. Another match was fought by former Philippine National Wushu Sanshou Training Pool member and BRAWL MMA champion Janry Amante and Kickboxing and Western Boxing champion Joselito Bianan

The Philippine Integrated Martial Arts Academy-Filipino Tang Soo Do Association (PIMAA-FTSDA), Inc. of Founder/Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo presented the most extensive demonstration during the event. 11 year old Ma. Therese “Princess” Libo-on of LCC-Gardenville, daughter of M2 Amado and Theresa Libo-on, performed the basic skills of Filipino Tang Soo Do including front and side splits, headstand, spider walk, cartwheel, etc.

Masters Elmer “Don-Don” P. Montoyo Jr. and Ernest Christian “Chen-Chen” P. Montoyo, 5th and Degree Black Belts respectively, and Chester F. Esmalla did the traditional kata of Japanese Karate and Korean Tang Soo Do, descended from Grandmaster Casimiro “Chingi” A. Grandeza of the Philippine Moo Duk Kwan Inc. to Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo. The trio then proceeded to the combat applications of techniques from Filipino Tang Soo Do, Japanese Judo/Jiu-jitsu, Indonesian Pencak Silat, Muay Thai, and Submission Grappling.
FTSD Master Elmer “Don-Don” P. Montoyo Jr. of the Philippine Integrated Martial Arts Academy-Filipino Tang Soo Do Association (PIMAA-FTSDA), Inc. (right) throws his brother Master Ernest Christian “Chen-Chen” P. Montoyo using a Filipino Tang Soo Do technique 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).

The PIMAA-FTSDA demo peaked with the demonstration of the 24-step Tai Chi Chuan form by Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo and Master Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado, now in their early 60s and late 50s respectively, with an insertion of brick breaking at the middle of the form.

The newly formed Universal Defensive Tactics Academy (UDTA), a department of the Universal Health Caregivers Training Center, was led by Founder/Chairman Abraham G. Ganzon Jr. in its demonstration of traditional Aikido ki testing as well as UDTA’s eclectic self preservation methods against various knifing and gun attacks with the use of concepts and techniques from Aikido, Krav Maga, Karate, and others. Assisting F/CM Ganzon were Hamel Borromeo, Alex Denamarca Jr., Paul Anthony Ganzon, and Ramel Vallejera.

The Tapondo International Federation, Inc. (TIFI)-Bacolod Chapter of Negros Chief Instructor Master Roy R. Flores Sr., 6th Degree, was led by Black Belts Anson Ahunin, Jessie Honor, and Joebert Esmejarda in demonstrating Tapondo (To Throw and Lock), a Filipino style of Aikido founded Grandmaster Ambrosio “Monching” Gavileño of Guimaras originally as Combat Aikido.

The TIFI Demo Team, which included 11 students among them children and women, demonstrated the various Tapondo locking and throwing techniques against different types of attacks such as grabbing, knife, and hold up.

The Bacolod Aikido Enthusiasts (BAE) of Founder/Master Maxwell “Max” J. Maun had a two-part demo, starting off with a showcase of practical applications of Japanese Aikido against various grabbing and striking attacks. The second part was an integration of Herada Pigada Arnis with the Aikido structure. Herada Pigada is an eclectic style of arnis descended from Grandmaster Benito Agui of Cadiz to the Doromal military brothers to their nephew, Master Maun. Such integration included throws and strangles with the stick. The hakama (pleated skirt)-clad BAE Demo team was composed of Maun Sensei, Engr. Frank Calmerin, Gelkoff Calmerin, Kim Cepeda, Jose Gasacao, and Snow Torres.
BAEFounder/Chief instructor Maxwell “Max” J. Maun of the Bacolod Aikido Enthusiasts (BAE) demonstrates the synthesis of Japanese Aikido with the indigenous techniques of Herada Pigada, a style descended from Grandmaster Benito Agui and the Doromal brothers, 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).