BAGO CITY SHINES IN PROV’L MEET By: James U. Sy Jr.

The Mayor Ramon D. Torres-sponsored Bago City Arnis Team took home 4 gold and 4 silver medals during the 2008 Provincial Meet held last December 10, 2008 at the Panaad Park and Stadium, Brgy. Mansilingan Bacolod City.

Trainer of the Bago Arnis Team was Grandmaster Jose “Joe” Mancesa of the Negros United Fighting Arts Academy (NUFAA) while Coach was Eliseo T. Yanong Sr.

The gold medalists were Edgardo Doctora Jr. , Rica Jerez, Christine Malapsay, and Jepat de la Torre.

The silver medalists were John Rodolf Martinez, Jude Guarra, Gerard Jalbuena, and Rialou de los Santos.

These athletes except for Malapsay, along with Leah Alit and Joan Inventor, took the gold or silver medal in their respective categories during the Area Meet held last November 19, 2008 at the La Carlota High School, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental.

Doctora, Guarra, Jalbuena, Jerez, de los Santos, and de la Torre took the championship titles while Alit, Inventor, Francis Marpil, and Martinez took the silver.

Jude Guarra is the nephew of P/Sgt. (Ret.) Grandmaster Estanislao “Eslao” Guarra of the Guarra Style Modern Arnis.

Of the Bago Arnis athletes, Doctora and Malapsay will compete in the Regional Selection this coming February 2008.

Hon. Mayor had supported the development of Sport Arnis since the start of 2008 and the city under the venerable executive is now reasserting its status as an Arnis power in the province of negros Occidental.

Aside from being the Western Boxing capital of the Philippines, Bago City is known as the birthplace of some of the most effective systems of Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) in the whole archipelago.

Bago is home to the long stickfighting art of Original Filipino Tapado (OFT) of the late Founder/Grandmaster Romeo “Nono” C. Mamar, Yasay Sable of the Yasay Clan, Guarra Style Modern Arnis of GM Eslao Guarra, Oido de Caburata of Grandmasters Abraham and Sabas T. Gubaton, Arjuka of Founder/Grandmaster Isaac T. Guarra, and Alasabate Sciencia represented by GM Mancesa among others.

Original Filipino Tapado is now headed by 1st Generation Inheritor Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” Lobrido and Yasay Sable by Grandmaster Paterno “Pater” V. Yasay.

GM Mancesa teaches a system which is the synthesis of the teachings of his three teachers, primary of whixh is the Alasabe Sciencia of the late Grandmaster Dominador “Doming” Recto of Hinigaran.

All these great Arnisadors had been documented by the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. of Founders/Masters James U. Sy Jr. And Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado.