1st Mayor Joemax Ortiz DSB Arnis Cup This Kali-Kalihan by: James U. Sy Jr.

The 1st Don Salvador Benedicto (DSB) Arnis Championships "1st Hon. Mayor Joemax Ortiz Cup" will be presented by the Guinabo Arnis and Combat Sports (GACS) of Founder/Grandmaster Felix A. Guinabo and the Siason Arnic Club of Founder/Grandmaster Jun Siason for the DSB Office of the Mayor under Hon. Mayor Joemax Ortiz and the DSB department of Toruism under Tourism Officer Lloyd Carator under the sanction of 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 this coming February 7, 2014, starting 9:00 AM at DSB Public Plaza, Don Salvador Benedicto (DSB), Negros Occidental. The DSB Office of the Mayor is sponsoring this Arnis/Eskrima tournament as part of town's 31st Founding Anniversary and 24th Kali-Kalihan Harvest Festival. Don Salvador Benedicto (DSB) was founded on February 9, 1983 from three barangays previously under the jurisdiction of San Carlos City. Its Kali-Kalihan Festival every February is a harvest festival with street dancing showing the cultural and martial heritage the town has adapted, the indigenous Filipino art of self protection, Arnis/Eskrima, more popularly known as Kali to foreigners. Mayor Ortiz would like to higlight this cultural heritage which earned Don Salvador Benedicto fame not only in the local scene but also abroad. DSB is also known for its cool climate, thus it is dubbed as the "Summer Capital of Negros Occidental," akin to Baguio in Luzon. The town is also known for its local produce. The set of rules to be used in this tournament is the Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS), Inc. Arnis Competition Rules, which is based on one of the traditional systems of playing Arnis/Eskrima in the old days in Negros Occidental where one player is inside a circle and defends and the other is outside and attacking. World Kali Eskrima Arnis Federation (WEKAF) regulation protective gear will be used. Weapons will be padded sticks. At least 9 Filipino Martial arts (FMA) organizations are expected to participate in this highly anticipated encounter of empty hands and weapon demonstrations and a test of skills in the sparring competition in both the adult and children's divisions. The tournament will be open to the public.