2nd Hon. Mayor Torres Arnis Tilt Explosively Successful Part III: Recognizing the Masters

Rodrigo Berdin, 66, of Murcia (left) receiving his Founder/Grandmaster of Oido de Cinco Henerales recognition under the sanction of the Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS), Inc. from IFFMAS Council of Elders Member and Original Filipino Tapado Generation Inheritor/Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido (right) during the 2nd Hon. Mayor Ramon D. Torres Arnis Expo & Tournament last February 18, 2012 at the Bantayan Park, Bago City. Negros Occidental Baston Federation (NOBF), Inc.President INP P/Sgt. (Ret.) Grandmaster Estanislao T. Guarra (far right) is in the foreground (Heiroteo "Didoy" Villarosa photo).


Rev. Gaudencio B. Lingamen Jr. (left) of Philippine Integrated Martial Arts Academy-Filipino Tang Soo Do Association (PIMAA-FTSDA), Inc.-San Enrique receiving his Founder of Garrote y Lanza recognition under the sanction of the Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS), Inc. from IFFMAS Council of Elders Member and Negros Occidental Baston Federation (NOBF), Inc. President INP P/Sgt. (Ret.) Grandmaster Estanislao T. Guarra (right) during the 2nd Hon. Mayor Ramon D. Torres Arnis Expo & Tournament last February 18, 2012 at the Bantayan Park, Bago City. IFFMAS President Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo is in the foreground (Heiroteo "Didoy" Villarosa photo).


Jose V. Salanp (left) receiving his Grandmaster recognition awarded by NOBF Founder Atty. Col. Grandmaster Marcelo “Pope” C. Jalandoon (not in the picture) and NOBF President INP P/Sgt. (Ret.) Grandmaster Estanislao T. Guarra, (partly hidden) under the sanction of the Negros Occidental Baston Federation (NOBF), Inc. during the 2nd Hon. Mayor Ramon D. Torres Arnis Expo & Tournament last February 18, 2012 at the Bantayan Park, Bago City. Shaking the hand of GM Salanap is Event Organizer and Original Filipino Tapado 1st Generation Inheritor/Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido (right). In the foreground are Event Director Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr. of the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. and Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo of the Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS), Inc. (Heiroteo "Didoy" Villarosa photo)


A total of 16 arnisadors were recognized/promoted under the sanction of 5 Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) organizations during the highly successful 2nd Hon. Mayor Ramon D. Torres Arnis Expo & Tournament organized for the Bago City Office of the Mayor and the Bago City Tourism Office last February 18, 2012 at the Bantayan Park, Bago City as part of the city’s 46th Charter Day Celebration.

INP P/Sgt. (Ret.) Grandmaster Estanislao T. Guarra, Founder of Guarra Style Modern Arnis, through the authority vested on him as President of the NOBF, recognized 7 old time arnisadors under the Negros Occidental Baston Federation (NOBF), Inc. as to wit: GM Frank Abalajon of Abalajon Classical Arnis (Arnis Grandmaster), Master Ferdinand Emmanuel “Bobot” Y. Gayoles (Master of Yasay Sable), Master Jonathan “Nathan” J. Gubaton and Job Camelo “Bemboy” J. Gubaton (Masters of Oido de Caburata Arnis), GM Abelardo Jagocoy (Arnis Grandmaster), Master Maxwell J. Maun (Master of Herada Pigada Arnis), GM Jose V. Salanp (Grandmaster of Oido de Caburata Arnis), and GM Sotero Tario (Founder/Grandmaster of Oido Fencing), and GM Paterno V. Yasay (3rd Generation Headmaster of Yasay Sable). Signatories for the promotions were NOBF Founder Atty. Co. GM Marcelo C. Jalandoon, Ph.D., GM Guarra, and Hon. Bago City Mayor Ramon D. Torres.

GM Guarra, a friend of the late Oido de Caburata Arnis Patriarch Grandmaster Abraham T. Gubaton, awarded publicly promotions made by GM Abraham in his system, under the sanction of he Oido de Caburata Arnis Group (ODCA), but not presented before his demise. Those promoted by GM Abraham were his youngest son Job Camelo “Bemboy” J. Gubaton (Masters of Oido de Caburata Arnis), GM Jose V. Salanp (Grandmaster of Oido de Caburata Arnis), and GM Sotero Tario (Founder/Grandmaster of Oido Fencing). Signatory for the promotions was GM Abraham. GM Guarra also recognized Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr. of the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. as a Master in Guarra Style Modern Arnis; Signatories for the promotions were GM Guarra, GM Jalandoon, and Hon. Mayor Torres.

Original Filipino Tapado GM Elmer V. Montoyo, Founder of Filipino Tang Soo Do, through the authority vested on him as President of the IFFMAS, recognized 6 old time arnisadors under the Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS), Inc. as to wit: GM Rodrigo Berden and GM Juanita Montoya-Berden of Murcia (Founder/Grandmaster of Oido de Cinco Henerales), Rev. Gaudencio B. Lingamen Jr. of San Enrique (Founder of Garrote y Lanza), Abelardo Jagocoy (Arnis Grandmaster), Master Maxwell J. Maun (Master of Herada Pigada Arnis), and GM Sotero Tario (Founder/Grandmaster of Oido Fencing). Signatories for the promotions were GM Montoyo, 1st Generation Inheritor GM Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido, GM Jalandoon, GM Guarra, Hon. Mayor Torres, and Master Sy.

Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr. of the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. promoted Diomedes N. Mamugay of the San Carlos Jungle Fighters Martial arts Club (SACA JUFIMAC) and Chester F. Esmalla to Manunudlo I in Conceptual Arnis/Martial Arts and Emily S. Lizares to Manunuon 5.

Not than 37 grandmasters, masters, and instructors of the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) and countless viewers witnessed the recognition rites.

The tournament proper of the event was also historic in that it was the first Arnis event in the Negros Island, Western Visayas, and possibly anywhere in the Philippines to present three different formats or rulings of stickfighting competitions in just one event, the norm being just one set of rules per tournament.

It was the idea of Master Sy, the Event Director and Overall Manager, to adopt a tri-format/rules competition for the event to preserve the traditional methods of competition used by arnisadors of old. These formats had the thinking that fights don’t last very long, especially when live blades are involved; real fights are not like what we see in movies or those bouts fought in streamline Sport Arnis competitions. Bouts fought in the three tournament formats - Original Filipino Tapado long stickfighting rules, IFFMAS Arnis rules, and Yasay Sable Arnis Rules - only last anywhere from 30 seconds or below to one and a half minutes the most. What was to be emphasized was skill rather than endurance. |The formats also tried to emphasize the defense among players.

COMPETITION - TAPADO RULES. Unpadded long stickfighting competition with the aim of overpowering the other contestant’s stick, without hitting any part of the opponent’s body. Marvin Gonzales of Brgy. Taloc over Ryan Santillan of Brgy. Taloc. Roleto Ruelan of Brgy. Taloc over Jimmy Villarmino of Brgy. Taloc.