UNIVERSAL DEFENSIVE TACTICS LAUNCHED @ ROBINSON’S By: Jams U. Sy Jr.

The Universal Defensive Tactics Academy (UDTA), the newest group in the Negros martial arts community, was officially introduced to the public during ABS CBN’s 1st Negros Fighting Arts Exposition last July 8, 2008 at the Fountain Area, Robinson’s Place Bacolod, Bacolod City.

The event, which was held as part of the ABS-CBN Kapamilya Sinadya in celebration of the 20th Year Anniversary of its Bacolod station, showcased various demonstrations from not less than 68 martial arts exponents from Bacolod and Bago Cities from 13 organizations representing 18 different systems and styles of Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Indonesian, Brazilian, and Eclectic Martial Arts.

The UDTA Demo Team was composed of Founder/Chairman Abraham G. Ganzon Jr., Hamel Borromeo, Alex Denamarca Jr., Paul Anthony Ganzon, and Ramel Vallejera. The group’s demonstration started off with a traditional Aikido ki testing method that involved the use of the unbendable arm. Ganzon then went through various defenses against knife attacks and gun pointing using an eclectic blend of Aikido, Krav Maga, Karate, Kimdo, etc.

The Universal Defensive Tactics Academy (UDTA) traces its roots to F.I.G.H.T. (Filipino Integrated Guerilla Hand to Hand Tactics), a group composed of students from the Universal Health Caregivers Training Center (UHCTC) co-founded by Chairman Abraham G. Ganzon Jr. and Chief Instructor Rosyl “Russell” A. Mohametano last January 8, 2008 at #83A Cor. Rosario-Locsin Sts., Bacolod City with Dr. Leonilo “Nilo” N. del Carmen, Founder/Head Instructor of the Bacolod-based Musubi Dojo, as Consultant.

Ganzon, who is also the UHCTC Chairman of the Board, and Mohametano, then a caregiver student at the center, agreed to pool their resources and skills to run the group with Ganzon acting on an administrative capacity and Mohametano in a technical capacity.

F.I.G.H.T. was formally introduced to the public thru a demonstration by Ganzon and Ramel Vallajera at the 5th Negros Regional Tapondo Invitational Competition last May 25, 2008 at the Food Court Area, Gaisano City Bacolod Supermall, Araneta St., Bacolod City. The group practiced an eclectic syllabus which combined Mohametano’s Aikido and Ganzon’s Karate and Kimdo Taekwondo, at the Universal Health Caregivers Training Center.

In June 2008, the Board Directors of the Universal Health Caregivers Training Center decided to start up the Universal Defensive Tactics Academy (UDTA) as a department for the self defense course modules of its caregiver students. Universal was chosen to identify the group as coming from the Universal Health Caregivers Training Center and to signify an approach to self protection with no stylistic limitations. Defensive Tactics was used instead of martial arts because the primary focus was to be able to successfully defend oneself and survive an assault rather than to be a good fighter which will require more time to achieve.

The stockholders of the school wanted to equip their graduates with not only the expertise in caregiving but also in the skills of defending oneself against bodily harm, especially when they are already working abroad. The Universal Health Caregivers Training Center has affiliate agencies overseas and a big number of their graduates are now working in Canada.

The Board Directors of the Universal Health Caregivers Training Center will be hiring instructors from diverse backgrounds to teach the UDTA.Modules for empty hand skills, weaponswork, and defensive firearms.

Ganzon, who will serve as Founder/Chairman for UDTA, studied Karate under Bong-Bong Acot Sensei of Club 43, Taekwondo under Founder Joy T. Divinagracia of Kimdo Martial Arts Organization (KMAO), and briefly in Aikido under Chief Instructor Rosyl “Russell” A. Mohametano of Musubi Dojo-Himamaylan and Founder/Head Instructor Dr. Leonilo “Nilo” N. del Carmen of Musubi Dojo-Bacolod.

The Universal Defensive Tactics Academy (UDTA) will be processing its application for membership with the Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS) headed by Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo, Founder of Filipino Tang Soo Do. The plan for UDTA is to get technical consultancy and organizational support from IFFMAS.

Interested parties may contact Universal Health Caregivers Training Center (Tel. No. 434-1429) and/or Universal Defensive Tactics Academy (Tel. No. 453-1763) at #83A Cor. Rosario-Locsin Sts., Bacolod City.