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.

WORLD BALINTAWAK SEMINAR

NovEMBER 8-9, 2008
World Balintawak Seminar
Fiesta Henderson Casino/hotel


From left to right: Grandmaster Sam L. Buot (Balintawak), Grandmaster Jorge V. Peñafiel (Balintawak/Putakti), Grandmaster Christopher Ricketts (Kalis Ilustrisimo), Grandmaster Bobby Tabimina (Balintawak), Grandmaster Bobby Taboada (BAlintawak, Grandmaster Nene Gaabucayan (Balintawak), Grandmaster Raffy Pambuan (Pambuan/Tulisan Maginoo Arnis), and Master Sammuel Scott of Baltimore, MAryland (FMA, KArate/Kung fu).


#2 Balintawak/Putakti System Core Group under Founder/Grandmaster Jorge V. Peñafiel

ESCRIMA LUMINARY IRENEO OLAVIDES By Perry Gil S. Millari

MARTIAL TALK
By Perry Gil S. Mallari
Life and Style Section,
Manila Times Nov. 26, 2008

(Posted with the permision of Mr. Millari.)

I always consider it a great privilege meeting old-school escrimadores—those vanishing breed of Filipino martial arts practitioners who have learned their art the painful, old fashion way.

I had a memorable dinner with escrima luminary Manong Ireneo Olavides last weekend. I used the traditional Filipino title of respect “manong” to address him because he refused such titles as “master” or ‘grandmaster’ be attached to his name. The 64-year-old Olavides, better known as Manong Eric in FMA circles is revered as the heir to the late juego todo (no-holds-barred stick fighting match) champion Grandmaster Jose D. Caballero. Caballero’s style is known by the name De Campo 1-2-3 Orihinal.

I have high regards for De Campo as a stick fighting art mainly because it has been proven in actual all-out escrima matches of the olden days. Olavides today is teaching a system he named JDC-IO (sometimes pronounced “jadecio”), which was taken from the initials of the name of his mentor “Jose D. Caballero” and his own name “Ireneo Olavides.”

My personal observation of De Campo is that it possessed a unique body mechanics unlike most systems of escrima. I should say that its rebounding strikes are surgical and insidious. My interview with Olavides has affirmed a few of my personal opinion concerning the Filipino martial arts, this include my view that the techniques of escrima should work for weak individuals (the people who needs self-defense knowledge the most) and that an escrimador should focus on hitting rather than trapping or grappling so as to maximize the potential of the stick as an impact weapon.

While Olavides took pride in surviving the “old-school” method of training and fighting, he recalls encountering difficulty adapting Caballero’s way verbatim. “I don’t have the robust physique of my mentor so I had a hard time fitting in to his training methods,” he narrates. Olavides should be given the credit of organizing and streamlining the De Campo system’s original curriculum, a task that he is very qualified to accomplish given his credentials as a college professor and defensive tactics instructor. He has also infused to JDC-IO principles he learned from other martial arts, specifically tai chi.

He has a very interesting insight on the seemingly simple subject of holding the stick. He says that “being one with the stick” means the weapon has become a mere extension of your limb. “If you have become one with the stick, then you don’t treat it as a slave, gripping it desperately as if it would slip out of your hand any moment,” he relates cryptically. Much like the yin and yang of tai chi, Olavides intones that the proper way of holding the weapon should be “soft yet hard.” With nearly 40-years of swinging weapons under his belt, his palms are smooth as that of a woman not betraying its deadly potential.

I also consider Olavides a rarity in the current trend of crass commercialism in the world of martial arts. Given the reputation of his art, he could have easily churned out thousands of dollars by conducting seminars overseas or handing out diplomas to martial arts instructors who want to beef up their credentials. Olavides instead opted to go low profile concentrating on producing quality instructors that would preserve the integrity and heritage of his beloved art. “The best way to describe the JDC-IO organization now is its tightly knit and personal,” he says, concluding, “Much like a family.”

SAY IT BUT SAY IT RIGHT BY: Maxwell J. Maun

We encounter many difficult things in life. One of them is in our dealings or relationship with many people we interact with most particularly with our fellow Christian brethrens. It is a fact that some professing Christians in someway do act or show indifference to manifest displeasure, disgust, disagreement with others. These are normal reactions coming from normal human beings. However, we Christians must be guided with the principle of "being angry but sinning not". We can show displeasure or disagreement the right way by controlling or taming our tongue. St. James, in his letters compared the tongue to a rudder of a big ship. It is a small part of the ship but is able to steer and direct the large part of the vessel. Our tongue can either say blessings or curse. It can utter words of encouragement or words of destruction and discouragement.

Our ideas or discourses maybe correct but the manner we assert or say things to stress our points do matter a lot. It is not a matter of just being right but a matter of saying things the right way. Many parents mean the right things but say it the wrong way. So, also are the children mean to express the right things to heir parents only saying them the wrong way too.

Let us ask ourselves these questions; first "What is my intention of saying this"? Second, "What is the best way of saying it"? Third, "Will saying it build the correct relationship"? We can always show our disagreement or displeasure without contempt, disrespect or hatred towards others. "SAY IT BUT SAY IT THE RIGHT CHRISTIAN WAY WITH LOVE AND RESPECT".

2008 BULIG SA KUBOS HUGE SUCCESS By: James U. Sy Jr.

The 2008 Bulig sa Kubos II (Assistance to the Needy) was successfully held by the Black Falcon Martial Arts Association-MAIN (BFMAA-Main) under its Chief Instructor, Purok Bulak President Joery C. Amante, in cooperation with the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. of Founders/Masters James U. Sy Jr. and Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado under the sanction of the Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS) of Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo last December 28, 2008 at the Amante Residence, Prk. Bulak, Brgy. Mandalagan, Bacolod City .

42 families received Christmas packs containing 1 kilo of rice, three canned goods (meat loaf, sausages, and pork and beans), noodles, and old clothes. A raffle for different goodies was held for 27 poverty-stricken children of the purok.

The program also included parlor games for children with many prizes at stake. There was also a paagaw of candies and coins.

The recipients were carefully selected by Amante based on the quality of their lifestyles.

Bulig sa Kubos is a semi-annual project started by Amante in 2002 and held every school opening and every Christmas at his residence. The project had been supported by the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. and held under the sanction of the Intercontinental Federation of Filipino Martial Arts Schools (IFFMAS) under President Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo since 2005. Generous sponsors from the University of St. La Salle had supported the outreach since its inception. Recipients came from the puroks of Bulak, Canaan , and Sambag.

Sponsors were James U. Sy Jr., Mary Salve L. Pe, Ma. Cristita P. Lim, Lafayette “Laf” A. Diamante, Lorema H. Tacsagon, Christine u. Sy, and Herminia U. Sy of Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc., Joselito and Cristina bianan, Julius Dohinog, Climaco Lumanog, and Jorande Daguman of Black Falcon Martial Arts Association-MAIN (BFMAA-Main), and Emma Kaw, Tess Golez, and Roni Gonzales of the University of St. La Salle 9USLS).

Recipient families for the Christmas pack were represented by Neneng Alabata, Lucresia Alegre, Rosemarie Amante, Teresita Amante, Erica Anbay, Marjorie Anierdes, Jenny Arnaiz, Arminda Asidoy, Bernadeth Bituon, Norma Cabalida, Yoli Cabalida, Dita Calderon, Arlan Casuyon, Romeo Casuyon, Landa Cornillo, Lanny Dajao, Dodong, Dorena Donguines, Elian, Erlita Enoposa, Nonoy Fabillo, Neneng Fajardo, Josephine Galang, Mercy Galang, Rex Galang, Lourdes Guanzon, Mildred Integ, Socorro Lapaz, Carmle Lentija, Lita Mahinay, Marcelina Manapsal, Flordeliza Oñates, Adelina Otero, Bong-Bong Padasay,Harry Padasay, Raquel Padios, Carmelita Pehid, Purita, Rebecca Santillan, Gloria Sy, Nimfa Torrecampo, and Ofelia Valdevieso.

The children who were included in the raffle were May Anne Alabos, Nicole Ariaga, Jenny Ann Blanco, Johnny Bosico, Victor Cabalida Jr., John Paul Bartolome, Bebe Cornillo, John Paul Coseno, Concerman, Jenny Mae Didal, John Paul Dionela, Andrei Galang, Marian Fate Lascania, Nice Loberisco, Dodong Lumuntad, Aljan Mahinay, Hadjie Manlapao, Jocelyn Padasay, Bogart Padios, Ronilo Padios Jr., Richard Pehid Jr., Bobby Sanchez, Christon Sevilla, Jenny Ann Torrecampo, Urbano, and two others.

Black Falcon Martial Arts Association- Main refers to the group headed by Joery C. Amante, 4th Degree, starting when he was designated Chief Instructor by the Founder, Ernesto Joseph sensei, in 1997. Amante teaches Wushu Sanshou, Sipa Sumbag, Western Boxing, and Muay Thai to poor teens of his purok and surrounding areas for the purpose of giving them a chance to be part of the Philippine National Team which by extension will give them a better life.

Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. is a non-profit martial arts network/brotherhood of career professionals founded by Masters James U. Sy Jr. and Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado on October 1, 2002 in Bacolod City to research, study, document, systematize, establish, stimulate interest in, promote, and propagate indigenous and foreign based Filipino Martial Arts (FMA), especially those from Negros, as well as other Asian and Occidental Martial Arts. The Core group Instructors teach Original Filipino Tapado, Oido de Caburata, Yasay Sable, Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis, Togle Style Modern Arnis, Galvarole Style Dynamic Arnis, etc.

CMAS FOUNDER VISITS SANGKIL KARASAK by James U. Sy, Jr.

Master Felipe "Bot" P. Jocano Jr. (center), Associate Professor at the Anthropology Department, with his students at the Sankil Karasak (Lightning Scientific Arnis International/Lema Scientifc Kali Arnis System) Gym, University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman, Quezon City (James U. Sy Jr. photo).

James U. Sy Jr. of Bacolod City, Founder of Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc., visited Master Felipe “Bot” Jocano Jr. recently during a training session at the Sangkil Karasak Gym, University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman, Quezon City.

Sangkil Karasak is a campus-based Arnis club which traces its roots to A group of a Lightning Scientific Arnis International (LSAI) students started by the late Master Elmer Ybañez, a student of the late Founder Grandmaster Benjamin Luna Lema, in 1991 at the university. Master Ybañe4z went on to found the Lema Scientifc Kali Arnis System (LESKAS) in 1996. In 2001 the seniors decided to open the club to UP students, which led to the formation of the Sangkil Karasak.

Sangkil and Karasak are native terms which mean “Spear” and ‘Shield” respectively. Sangkil Karasak is headed by Masters Nathan Dominguez and Felipe “Bot” P. Jocano Jr.

The UP LSAI club was recognized by the University of the Philippines Office of Student Affairs Committee in June 2002.

Sy, like, Jocano writes for the Rapid Journal, the one and only martial arts resource in the Philippines which cover academically written pieces on the various arts. Sy and Jocano had been in communication since about a year back.

The first time the two met was when Jocano, an Associate Professor at the Anthropology Department of the University of the Philippines-Diliman, traveled to Bacolod last year to conduct a sports coaching seminar organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) at the Panaad Park and Stadium.

In both meetings, the two enthusiasts exchanged notes on techniques as well as the anthropological, historical, cultural, and other aspects of the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA).

Jocano is the son of renowned Anthropologist Felipe Landa Jocano, who hails from Cabatuan in Iloilo Province. He and his colleagues had been preserving the legacies of both GM Lema and Master Ybañez since the masters’ passing.

The Lightning Scientific Arnis was founded by the late GM Lema in 1937 in Mambusao, Capiz, Panay Island, making it perhaps the oldest documented Panaynon style of Arnis in modern times. International was later affixed to Lighting Scientific Arnis to show its widened scope and area.

ARNIS TAUGHT IN KALIBO BY: JAMES U. SY JR.

A Sports Arnis workshop was taught by Master Ike Xavier Sarabia Villaflores, Arnis Philippines (Arpi) Commissioner for Dumaguete City, recently in the Municipality of Kalibo in Aklan Province, Panay Island.

The Department of Education, Culture, and Sports (DECS) sponsored the historic training to equip Aklanon teachers in the ongoing reintroduction of the indigenous art of Arnis to the Philippine school system through sport programs. The Arnis workshop was part of a larger program of seminars involving various sport disciplines. 37 teahcers from different parts of Aklan were in attendance.

Arnis, also known as Eskrima in Cebu, is recognized by the Philippine Government as the country’s National Martial Sport, as much as Taekwondo is to Korea. Rhe government-recognized National Sport Association (NSA) for Arnis is Arnis Philippines, Inc. (Arpi).

Master Villaflores, himself a school teacher in his hometown Dumaguete, was invited by the Task Force in School Sports (TFSS) with the authorization and approval of Arnis Philippines, Inc. (Arpi) under its President Raymund S. Velayo.

The integration of the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) into the Philippine education system will help boost the studentry’s pride of being Filipino, in realizing that their native arts are at par, if not better, than other more popular forms of Asian Martial Arts such as Japanese Karate, Chinese Kung Fu, Korean Taekwondo, Indonesian Pencak Silat, etc.

Kalibo is the capital town of Aklan. Its name was derived from the Hiligaynon Isa ka Libo “One Thousand,” in reference to the number of inhabitants in that place originally baptized to Christianity by the Spaniards in the 16th Century.

Master Villaflores, the Founder/Chief Instructor of the Dumaguete Arnis Association (DUMAA) and the DUMAA System of Escrima, had already produced Arnis champions among his wards in various local, regional, national, and world Arnis championships.

Villaflores started Martial Arts training in Karate under his father, Roy Villaflores, in 1980 and later continued his studies under Grandmaster Leonardo Delaluna, who taught Kenpo Jujutsu and Arnis (Doce Generales style) in 1986. Villaflores supplemented his studies with instruction from other instructors, among them his late grandfather Grandmaster George Duran of Cebu (Balintawak), his late grandfather Grandmaster Exequiel Sarabia (Doce Pares), the late Grandmaster Vicente Villarojo of Dumaguete (de prances), and Grandmaster Max A. Recto of Kabankalan City (Recto Arnis).

Arnis is the Filipinized form of the Spanish Arnes “Harness, Armor” and is at times added with the Spanish de Mano “Hand.” Taken together Arnis de Mano “Harness of the hand” alludes to an Arnisador’s ability to defend himself as if wearing an armor. Eskrima, the preferred term by Cebuanos, is the Filipinized form of the Spanish Escrima “Fencing.”

A common misconception is that Arnis/Escrima is Spanish simply because they use Spanish names as well as Spanish technical terms for their repertoire. It can not be denied that the 333 years of the Spanish colonization (1565-1898) had resulted to the assimilation of many Spanish words into the various Filipino languages as well as Spanish customs into the Filipino culture. Noted historian Dra. Sonia M. Zaide said that there are 5,000 Spanish loan words in the Filipino language.

However, this does not mean that the techniques used in Arnis/Eskrima were outright copycats of the Spanish systems of Escrima. The pre-Hispanic Filipinos had their own form of Martial Arts that was enhanced by the Spanish Renaissance Fencing, i.e. that which uses heavier and larger swords, not the light and slender civilian rapier.