REMEMBERING GM DOMINADOR D. FERRER By: James U. Sy Jr.

A year had passed since the gentle giant Grandmaster Dominador “Doming” D. Ferrer (1920-2007) left this world and joined his Creator but his memory still lives with the people who love him and aspired to be like him, as a person, a husband, a father, a teacher, a friend.

Teo Doming, as he was fondly called by those close to him, was born to Eduardo Ferrer, a farmer, and Catalina Dionson on November 25, 1920 in Bacolod City. The young Ferrer had his education at Mabini Elementary School and was a freshman at the Negros Occidental High School (NOHS) before quitting school. He worked at the printing house of his grandfather, Esteban Alemares.

At the outbreak of World War II, Ferrer was one of the countless Filipinos who volunteered for combat service in defense of their country. At the age of 20, he stood strong with the physique of a bodybuilder, having pumped iron during his teens.

When the Americans surrendered to the Japanese, Ferrer joined the guerilla movement the mountains of Calatrava and San Carlos in Negros . Ferrer was assigned in the Finance Department of the guerilla movement because of his printing experience. It was there that he met his future wife, Margarita L. Briones (B: July 20, 1927), a sorter and checker of the emergency notes printed by the guerilla movement. Ferrer and Briones were married in 1944 and three more times thereafter within their 63 years marriage. Ferrer was employed with the Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) after the war until his retirement in 1980.

Ferrer started his martial arts training under Founder/Great Grandmaster Jose “Joe” Lamayo Viñas (1906-1991) in October 1959 at the Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis Aficionados Association (LVAAA). Ferrer represented his teacher during exhibitions, among them Cebu Coliseum, Southwestern University , Far Eastern University, and University of the Visayas. Master Ferrer showed his disarming prowess at the 2nd National Eskrima (Arnis) Championships held by the National Arnis Association of the Philippines (NARAPHIL) on March 16, 1985 in Cebu City .

Ferrer was awarded his mastership in Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis by GGM Viñas on April 20, 1979 in Bacolod City after 20 years of continuous and dedicated practice. He was recognized as a Grandmaster by the Negros Occidental Arnis Federation (NOAF) during the 4th National Arnis Tournament and Festival on July 26-27, 1986 at the West Negros College Gym. Then NARAPHIL Visayas Region Commissioner Atty. Grandmaster Dionisio A. Cañete was one of those who signed his certification.

GM Ferrer learned the indigenous Bagoueño long stick fighting art Original Filipino Tapado under its Founder/Grandmaster Romeo “Nono” C. Mamar and then Chief Instructor and future 1st Generation Inheritor Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido and earned his Junior Instructorship on December 30, 1988 and his Senior Instructorship on May 28, 1989.

When GGM Viñas passed away in 1991, GM Ferrer started his own school, Kalantiaw Defense Society (KDS), not wanting to get involved in the struggle for succession of the headmastership. On December 30, 2003, 1st Generation Inheritor Headmaster Wilson “Nonong” E. Viñas, the son of the Founder, conferred to GM Ferrer a 10th Degree Grandmaster ranking in Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis, making him the first and only to be promoted to such high rank by a lineage holder.

GM Ferrer is recognized as a grandmaster by the Negros Occidental Baston Federation (NOBF) of Atty. Grandmaster Marcelo C. Jalandoon, Ph.D., the Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS) under its President Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo, and the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. of Founders/Masters James U. sy jr. and Narciso “hansy” L. Alojado. He is also a Board Director of the Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association (OFTLSFA), Inc.

GM Ferrer was recognized for his “Outstanding Propagation of Arnis in Bacolod City ” by officials of Purok Macanpiña during the 1st Purok Macanpiña Martial Arts Expo on August 28, 2004 in Bacolod City . CMAS, IFFMAS, and OFTLSFA recognized him as “The Oldest Living Grandmaster of Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis in the World.”

GM Ferrer served as Arnis Training Director for Bantay Bayan under Regional Director Rudy Toledo and taught hand to hand defensive tactics to the Philippine Army in Negros .

GM Ferrer is a firm believer in living a peaceful life. He always reminded his students that the Filipino Martial Art (FMA) Arnis or Escrima should only be used in the protection in one’s or one’s loved ones’ lives. He lived by Jesus Christ’s Golden Rule. He was always humble and did not speak ill of other Arnisadors. For him, what one does goes back to him. He advocated the respect of one’s fellow man.

Grandmaster Dominador “Doming” D. Ferrer, 86, passed away on July 17, 2007 at the Doctors Hospital due a sudden cardiac arrest. He was laid to rest on July 23, 2007 at the Roselawns Memorial Park .

Grandmaster Dominador “Doming” D. Ferrer had taught a good number of students in his lifetime among them former Bacolod Councilor Atty. Juanito Amihan, American university Professor and FMA Master Ronald A. Harris, and some foreigners. He promoted only 4 people to Master in Arnis: Romy Berlanas of KDS, Rey Aguilar, Jun-Jun Maravilla of OFTLSFA, and James U. Sy Jr. of CMAS.