Airborne Collision Rocks Locsin St. by James U. Sy Jr.

Just moments after the Bata-Libertad jeepney went airborne and dropped on its left side. Note that the rear axle was twisted and the right side of the body of the vehicle was folded. At this initial stages of the accident two vigilant bystanders, one on the rear and one on top of the vehicle, went to action, trying to pull the two passengers to safety (James U. Sy Jr./NDB/WVJ Photo).


A vigilant bystander wastes no time in pulling out an unconscious woman passenger (James U. Sy Jr./NDB/WVJ Photo).



Bystanders starting to gather on the collision site until the area was covered with many people, investigators, and medical personnel (James U. Sy Jr./NDB/WVJ Photo).


Close up of the point of impact on the collapsed jeepney (James U. Sy Jr./NDB/WVJ Photo).


The front side of the collapsed jeepney (James U. Sy Jr./NDB/WVJ Photo).


The damaged area of the jeepney as shown after the vehicle has been restored to its vertical axis by helpful bystanders (James U. Sy Jr./NDB/WVJ Photo).


The driver of the jeepney (left, front) refused an interview to air his side of the story (James U. Sy Jr./NDB/WVJ Photo).






The damage on the car of Antonio Escuadra shown from all sides.(James U. Sy Jr./NDB/WVJ Photo).


The Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade 161 Ambulance had a very short response time, just minutes after some bystanders called for help (James U. Sy Jr./NDB/WVJ Photo).


The Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade 161 medical team attending to a passenger who hurt his leg/s during the collision (James U. Sy Jr./NDB/WVJ Photo).


The Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade 161 medical team transporting the injured passenger to a medical facility (James U. Sy Jr./NDB/WVJ Photo).

It was like a scene from a Hollywood movie, a speeding vehicle is thrown airborne during a collision, except this time there were no special effects and everything was for real. This was what happened along Locsin St. when two vehicles collided yesterday, January 15, 2011, at about 12:20 PM.

Two jeepneys were travelling side by side from Hernaez St. and into Locsin St. Just before reaching the intersection at Locsin-Rosario Sts., the Bata-Libertad jeepney on the left, with plate No. T-060480, tried to overtake the other PUJ. At that point, a black car, with plate No. PRM-177, driven by Antonio Escuadra, 53, of San Carlos City, was also heading towards the intersection. The PUJ on the right gave way to the car but the one on the left went ahead and speed away to overtake. The jeepney was clipped by the car on its right side and forced across the street, directly in front of Red Square, C.M.W. Disco Bar, and Double “L” Spotlite. The impact was highly magnified by the speed of the overtaking jeepney, which in turn forced the vehicle to fly in the air, collapse on its side, and fall on its left side.

The car on the other hand, also screeched out of its lane and initially followed a parallel path to the collapsing jeepney before turning to the other side of the road and stopping nearly in the sidewalk, just a few paces away from Derd’s 8 Tailoring and Sportswear.

The rear axle of the jeepney was twisted and a pipe was broken. There were shreds of broken glass on the pavement and the right side of the vehicle folded into a crease. The driver was not injured. However, his two passengers, a couple, suffered injuries. The woman, who was unconscious, was pulled out by a concerned bystander from the collapsed vehicle. It took her some minutes to gain consciousness and be able to sit down. She said her leg/s was/were aching. Her husband, who was found, sitting outside of the rear side of the vehicle and in the entrance of Red Square, injured his leg/s.

The passengers of the black car were also a couple. Escuadra and his 51 year old wife just got out of church from the baptism of their grandchild. They were unhurt because they wore seatbelts. However, the front side of their car, including the hood, was a wreck. The car’s door on the right side was also out of its frame slightly. Escuadra managed to get some control of his car otherwise he could have also crashed into the establishments, next to the collapsed jeepney.

The Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade 161 medical team responded at a very short interval after the accident and attended to the injured. The driver of the jeepney refused an interview with the Negros Daily Bulletin and Western Visayas Journal.

It was fortunate that the jeepney didn’t have many passengers otherwise there would be many injured. If there’s anything that this incident had taught those who witnessed the accident, including this writer, it is that overtaking may save you a little time or it can also waste a lot of your time and put many people’s lives at risk. Discipline in the road is all we can ask for now that this has happened.

2012 Tat Jun Tao Reunion

When: January 8, 2011, Sunday
Where: new Bgy. Kalubihan Hall (fronting Asian College of Technology), P. del Rosario St., Cebu City

Christmas in Singapore (CMAS/NDB Photos)

Arnis Anyo Seminars Taught @ OLPA

Joshelle Rianne C. Gubaton and Wilson D. Espejo of the OLPA Arnis Team crossing sticks during one of the seminars held at the Our Lady of Pillar Academy (OLPA), Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago City (CMAS Photo).



Josea Elaine May V. Tulog of the OLPA Arnis Team performing the paying block from Yasay Sable/Guarra Style Modern Arnis against the center thrust of Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr. of Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. (CMAS Photo).

To maximize the preparedness of the Our Lady of Pillar Academy (OLPA) Arnis Team for the upcoming Provincial Meet this December, Coach Ariane M. Ignacio invited Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr. of Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. to conduct the 2nd OLPA Sport Arnis Seminar: Solo Baston Anyo and the 3rd OLPA Sport Arnis Seminar: Doble Baston Anyo last November 24 and December 1, 2011 respectively at one of the rooms of the academy, Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago City.

The Our Lady of Pillar Academy (OLPA) Arnis Team was crowned champion in the boys labanan division with 5 gold medals in the Area Meet held last October 13-15, 2011 at the La Consolacion School Isabela Negros Occidental, Inc. in the Municipality of Isabela. The team also took three gold medals in the girls labanan division and a gold in the girls anyo category. Vanessa G, Torrecarion gave the team its lone gold medal by stringing together the basic striking patterns taught by Grandmaster Sabas T. Gubaton, Chief Instructor of the Oido de Caburata Arnis Group (ODCA). The team’s success gave them the opportunity to compete at the provincial level.

Ignacio expressed the excitement and anxiety her team feels, “We know there is better competition in the provincial level and more experience at that. Our team is a neophyte, only assembled this year. We need to train harder and we need all the support we can get.” The OLPA Arnis Team made their debut this year at the Division Meet. The Area Meet was only their second outing.

The series of seminars focused on the anyo event, which has more medal slots that the individual labanan event. For each seminar, Sy taught two sets of any a it is the required number of performances for each competitor for each category as set by the Department of Education (DepEd). Sy specifically designed the four forms for use by the OLPA Arnis Team for competition. The forms were a synthesis of sword-based movements from Conceptual Arnis, Yasay Sable, Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis, and Guarra Style Modern Arnis. Sy also gave pointers on how to go perform based on the set criterion and made the players understand the rules to avoid penalties in their scores.

Those who attended the seminars were Ryan N. Arguelles, Wilson D. Espejo, Joshelle Rianne C. Gubaton, Melissa Hilario, Christile Joy Landero, Roger A. Manong, John Mark G. Niña, Herokho Jean Gracir Saldon, Vanessa G. Torrecarion, and Josea Elaine May V. Tulog.

Another workshop, this time focused on labanan, is scheduled for December 6, 2011. Master Ferdinand “Bobot” Y. Gayoles of Yasay Sable and Grandmaster Estanislao “Eslao” T. Guarra of Guarra Style Modern Arnis gave their blessings to teach segments of their systems for the labanan division.

The Our Lady of Pillar Academy (OLPA) Arnis Team is supported by Director Rev. Fr. Samuel E. Balboa and Principal Candelaria Balbao.

CMAS, Inc. Donates Books to Bac. Lib.

The Bacolod City Public Library headed by Librarian III Merlyn Corpuz and Librarian I Greta Memoria received a donation of 75 textbooks and 150 periodicals from Negros martial arts historian/writer James U. Sy Jr., Founder/Master of Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. last November 17, 2011 at its premises in Hernaez-Araneta Sts., Bacolod City.

There were a few college texts but majority of the books were for the secondary and elementary levels. The same is true for the magazines. The donation was the first batch that was made by CMAS; a second batch is expected as more books are being gathered.

A Memorial to GM Abraham T. Gubaton (1928-2011): The Grand Patriarch of Oido de Caburata Arnis Part I: The Passing of a Grandmaster by: James U. Sy Jr

Grandmaster Abraham "Kapitan Berong" Tapio Gubaton (seated center) together with his immediate family and students after lunch during his 83rd birthday last July 6, 2011 at his home in Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago City (James U. Sy Jr./CMAS Photo).





These are perhaps the last series of photos of Oido de Caburata Arnis Grandmaster Abraham "Kapitan Berong" Tapio Gubaton, which were taken on October 10, 2011 a his residence in Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago City. He is shown here with his granddaughters Mary Camille Joy H. Gubaton and Joshelle Rianne C. Gubaton and Norma Jauod, the cousin of his late wife, Exaltacion Jauod (James U. Sy Jr./CMAS Photo).



Oido de Caburata Arnis Grandmaster Abraham "Kapitan Berong" Tapio Gubaton together with one of his two last students, Master James U. Sy Jr. of the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. (James U. Sy Jr./CMAS Photo).




The vigil for Grandmaster Abraham "Kapitan Berong" Tapio Gubaton was held from November 13-19, 2011 at the Baxter Memorial Chapel in Bago City proper before his remains were transferred to the Catholic Church in Brgy. Ma-ao (James U. Sy Jr./CMAS Photo).




Arnisadors paying respect to their fallen friend and fellow eskrimador, Grandmaster Abraham "Kapitan Berong" Tapio Gibaton (from left): Grandmaster Isaac "Saac" T. Guarra (Arjuka), Grandmaster Jose "Joe" Salanap (Oido de Caburata), Grandmaster Estanislao "Eslao" T. Guarra (Guarra Style Modern Arnis), and Master James U. sy Jr. (Conceptual Arnis).


















Mourners walk the way from the Ma-ao Catholic Church to the last resting place of Grandmaster Abraham "Kapitan Berong" Tapio Gubaton at the New Ma-ao Public Cemeery in Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago City (James U. Sy Jr./CMAS Photo).

Grandmaster Abraham "Kapitan Berong" Tapio Gubaton, The Grand Patriarch of he Oido de Caburata Arnis System, succumbed to a fever and complications arising from pneumonia last November 12, 2011, 2:20 P.M. at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH), Lacson-Burgos Sts., Bacolod City. He was 83 years old.

In late June 2011, GM Gubaton was rushed to the same hospital after experiencing a mild stroke. His family was vigilant all throughout his hospitalization and he was discharged later. The path to recovery was slowly as his speech had been slurred and his movements were calculated. Nevertheless, he did go around, even holding and flailing his dear baston and caburata when friends visited him. He celebrated his 83rd birthday, his last, on July 6, 2011 with his immediate family and two of his students. His birthday was celebrated at lunchtime.

Then on October 28, 2011, GM Gubaon was again hospitalized. The day before his death, the doctor had cleared him for discharge but a fever forced him to stay at the hospital. It was that fever that led to his eventual demise.

The vigil for GM Gubaton was held from November 13-19, 2011 at the Baxter Memorial Chapel in Bago City proper before his remains were transferred to the Catholic Church in Brgy. Ma-ao. Not less than 500 people attended the internment.

His family, relatives, friends, and arnisadors flocked to Baxter to pay their last respects to GM Gubaton. Interment was held last November 21, 2011 at the New Ma-ao Public Cemetery with the mass held at the Catholic Church.

GM Gubaton was survived by his children Dionesio Minerales and Grace Gubaton-Minerales and their children Diane Grace and Denise Marie G. Minerales; Jonathan J. Gubaton and Janet Araneta-Gubaton and their children Patrick John and Vincent John A. Gubaton; Joseph J. Gubaton and Rochel Cartel-Gubaton and their child Joshelle Rianne C. Gubaton; Noel Sayson and Mary Janet Gubaton-Sayson and their children John Noel and Joseph Noel G. Sayson; Julius J. Gubaton and Lourdes Hedonia-Gubaton and their children Gabriel John and Mary Camille Joy H. Gubaton; Ferdinand J. Gubaton and Melinda Abetong-Gubaton and their children Lyndie Joyce and Derick A. Gubaton; and and Bemboy Camelo Job J. Gubaton and Margie Abetong-Gubaton and their children Jeannea Marie and Johanna Marie A. Gubaton

Storytelling Day Set @ Bacolod Lib. by James U. Sy Jr.

Preparations at the Bacolod City Public Library under Librarian III Merlyn Corpuz and Librarian I Greta Memoria are underway Storytelling Day slated this November 29, 2011 as part of the 77th National Book Week celebration in the last week of November. Sponsors are Rotary Club of Bacolod under President Glenn de Guzman and Rotary Club of Bacolod-West under President Cecilia del Castillo (CMAS/NDB photo).


The Bacolod City Public Library headed by Librarian III Merlyn Corpuz and Librarian I Greta Memoria will be holding the Storytelling Day this November 29, 2011 at its premises in Hernaez-Araneta Sts., Bacolod City as part of the 77th National Book Week celebration in the last week of November.

A total of 120 Day Care Center children, 60 each, from Brgy. Banago and Brgy. Alijis will be in attendance. One of the featured storytellers will be Col. Roderick Alba of the Rotary Club of Bacolod. One of the guests will be Exec. Asst. II Rogelio Giganan.

Sponsors of the event are Rotary Club of Bacolod under President Glenn de Guzman and Rotary Club of Bacolod-West under President Cecilia del Castillo, who will give out free snacks and coloring books and crayons respectively. .