GM MONOYO CELEBRATES 63RD BDAY By: James U. Sy Jr.

Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo celebrated his 63rd birthday with a simple get together with his Martial Arts friends last January 20, 2008 at the Universal Health Caregivers Training Center. #83A Cor. Rosario-Locsin Sts., Bacolod City.

Well wishers present were Founder/Masters Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado and James U. Sy Jr., Master Instrucor Joeffrey S. Deriada, Joy Gallos, and Janby of Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc., Host Founder/Chairman Abraham G. Ganzon Jr. and his Assistant of the Universal Defensive Tactics Academy (UDTA), and members of GM Montoyo’s Philippine Integrated Martial Arts Academy-Filipino Tang Soo Do Association (PIMAA-FTSDA)

The simple celebration also signaled the GM’s 52nd year in the Martial Ars. He started training in 1957. Since then he had studied a variety of Martial Arts coming from Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian,Thai, and Western traditions and ended up being certified in a number of them.

His latest promotion was his 8th Degree Black Belt ranking in Tang Soo Do “Way of the Chinese hand (Hangul)” awarded by Eric Breuer Soke of the USA, 10th Degree Black Belt, under the sanction of the Universal Fighting Arts Fellowship International (UFAFI).

UFAFI is the official governing body for Breuer Soke’s Chun Kuk Moo Sul “Universal Martial Arts (Hangul).”

Montoyo is also a grandmaster in Original Filipino Tapado,having been awarded the honor by 1st Generation Inheritor (Tig-subli) Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido last June 28, 2008 at the Lobrido Residence, Prk. Langka, Bgry. Taloc, Bago City.
(GM Montoyo (yellow shirt) and GM Bebing Lobrido)
He studied Shotokan Karate “Shoto’s School of the Empty Hand (Nihonggo)” from Levi Sembrano, Jerry Gonzales, Master George A. Gargalicano, and Grandmaster Casimiro “Chingi” A. Grandeza, Founder/Chief Instructor of the White Kimono Karate Club and "The father of karate in Negros."

Montoyo had learned Kung Fu Karate Chinese Atado under Grandmaster Yao Hing Poi of Hong Kong and Tai Chi Chuan under international Master Li Jun-Feng (Lee Fong-Jong), former National Wushu Coach of the People’s Republic of China .

He studied Original Filipino Tapado (OFT) under the late Founder/Grandmaster Romeo “Nono” C. Mamar and his nephew, then Chief Instructor Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido. He was promoted to Senior Instructor in OFT by GM Mamar and to Master and then to Grandmaster on June 28, 2008 by GM Lobrido.

The celebration was capped with a few demonstrations and discussion of Martial Arts techniques. An Inerconinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS) meeting soon followed.