2nd Hon. Mayor Torres Arnis Tilt Explosively Successful Part I: Arnis/Eskrima @ Its Best

Some of the participants of the highly successful 2nd Hon. Mayor Ramon D. Torres Arnis Expo & Tournament organized by the Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association (OFTLSFA), Inc. of 1st Generation Inheritor/Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido, the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. of Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr., and the Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS), Inc. under its President Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo for the Bago City Office of the Mayor and the Bago City Tourism Office last February 18, 2012, 2:00-6:00 PM, at the Bantayan Park, Bago City, Negros Occidental as part of the 46th Bago City Charter Day Celebration (Edna Bella Lobrido photo).

The Bago City Office of the Mayor and the Bago City Tourism Office presented the highly successful 2nd Hon. Mayor Ramon D. Torres Arnis Expo & Tournament thru the efforts of the Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association (OFTLSFA), Inc. of 1st Generation Inheritor/Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido, the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. of Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr., and the Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS), Inc. under its President Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo last February 18, 2012, 2:00-6:00 PM, at the Bantayan Park, Bago City, Negros Occidental as part of the 46th Bago City Charter Day Celebration. The event was also supported by the Negros Occidental Baston Federation (NOBF), Inc. under its Founder Atty. Col. Grandmaster Marcelo C. Jalandoon, Ph.D., and its President INP P/Sgt. (Ret.) Estanislao “Eslao” T. Guarra.

GM Lobrido of Brgy. Taloc, Bago City was the event Organizer while Master Sy of Bacolod City was the Event Director and Overall Manager

80-90 arnisadors representing 20 organizations/groups from at least 6 cities and towns from Negros Occidental - Bago, Bacolod, Murcia, San Enrique Talisay, and Valladolid - gave 16 demonstrations of various systems/styles of indigenous and foreign based Negros/Ilonggo-Filipino Martial Arts and competed in 14 bouts using three competition formats. More than a thousand spectators watched the event, surpassing the attendance of the first installment of the expo.

The venue was open space. It was a blessing that Bago did not have a heavy downpour inspite of heavy rains, and in some cases flooding, in Valladolid and San Enrique.

The expo/tournament made several pioneering highlights in the history of Negros martial arts history. The event assembled perhaps the most number of Arnis teachers from different systems/styles in one event in Bago City and Negros Occidental; not less than 37 of the participants were graded grandmaster, master, or instructor. As a result, it may well also be the event showcasing the most number of Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) systems/styles in just one setting in Bago City and Negros Occidental; Not less than 16 systems/styles were showcased: Arjuka, Cargada Pigar KaliSilat, Conceptual Arnis/Martial Arts, Espada y Daga, Filipino Tang Soo Do, Garrote y Lanza, Guarra Style Modern Arnis, Hangaway Arnis, Herada Pigada, Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis, Oido de Caburata Arnis , Oido de Cinco Generales, Original Filipino Tapado, Trece Grabes Piga-Piga System, UDTA System, and Yasay Sable.

It was the first Arnis event in the Negros Island and Western Visayas to use three formats of stickfighting competitions. It was also the first public event to feature a Yasay Sable competition. A total of 13 bouts were fought: 2 for Original Filipino Tapado long stick fighting rules, 5 for IFFMAS Arnis rules, and 7 for Yasay Sable Arnis Rules. It was also the first time for Garrote y Lanza, a spear fighting art, to be publicly shown and Oido de Cinco Generales of Murcia to be demonstrated outside its place of origin.

DEMONSTRATIONS. GM Danilo Cardinal, Arnis Philippines Negros Occidental Commissioner, Founder of the Bacolod-based Cargada Pigar KaliSilat Arnis Club, gave an Arnis anyo “form,” and together with Master Gualberto Dajao demonstrated tapi-tapi tirsia for the knife and Espada y Daga.

The University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) Martial Arts Club under Master Ferdinand Emmanuel “Bobot” Y. Gayoles gave a demonstration of Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis pang-agaw both with sticks and empty hands and the Gayoles method of Defensive Tactics (Dectac) for criminology students which is an eclectic blend of Arnis, Karate, and other martial arts. Demonstrators were Carl Trunio II, Gerald Daclan and Allan Azuelo.

The Universal Defensive Tactics Academy (UDTA) from Bacolod was represented by its Founder/Master Abraham “Abe” G. Ganzon Jr. and Ricky B. Eslabon who demonstrated the UDTA system of Espada y Daga.

Rev. Gaudencio B. Lingamen Jr. of Philippine Integrated Martial Arts Academy-Filipino Tang Soo Do Association (PIMAA-FTSDA), Inc.-San Enrique showed his personal interpretation of the 6 ft. bangkaw “spear” through his art, Garrote y Lanza. The demonstration was unique in that it was the only performance to feature the bangkaw, a favorite weapon of the Visayans during the pre-Hispanic times.

Law enforcement agent Master Irving P. Elefante of Valladolid and his nephew Rogen E. Guevarra of Bago represented 1st Generation Inheritor Headmaster Wilson E. Viñas’ Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis Aficionados Association (LVAAA). The duo showed the trademark daga pang-agaw and strangulation techniques of the -Lapu Viñas Arnis system founded by the late Grandmaster Jose “Joe” L. Viñas (1906-1991).

Another unique display of skills was that of GM Isaac T. Guarra, Founder of the Arjuka style and Arjuka-Malingin. He lifted a heavy metal bar over his head without bending his arm in one shift motion and left it afloat for a few seconds. Then he thrust his index finger to the body of a portion of a banana tree; he did this several times. Later he also thrust the balls of his feet into said tree, which produced holes into the trunk.

The combined contingent of the Guarra Style Modern Arnis of P/Sgt. (Ret.) Estanislao “Eslao” T. Guarra and Arjuka-Malingin performed solo and paired sinawli, stick disarming, empty hands against stick, Arnis women’s defense, and an assortment of defensive and offensive maneuvers. Demonstrators were Filton Bernadas, Anthony Guarra, Jerald John Guarra, Jeraldine Guarra, Jerryll Guarra, John Richard Guarra, Cesar Ian G. Poral, Clyde Jason G. Poral, and Windy Lou G. Poral.