1ST LAPU-LAPU VIÑAS ARNIS SEMINAR IN THE WORLD HELD

Headmaster Wilson “Nonong” E. Viñas, Grandmaster Dominador “Doming” D. Ferrer, and Master Instructor Servando “Diotay” Largo Jr. conducted the 1st Bacolod Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis Open Seminar with the assistance of the Systematization Team 2003 and under the sanction of the Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis Aficionados Association (LVAAA) on February 23, 2003 at the Eagle’s Gym, 3/F Whale Shipping Corporation (WSC) Bldg., Locsin-San Sebastian Sts., Bacolod City. 22 martial artists, the Systematization Team included, representing 5 organizations were in attendance with at least five grandmasters, masters, and instructors from other schools and styles of arnis as guests.

The Systematization Team 2003 was composed of James U. Sy, Jr., Dante L. Robles, Joeffrey S. Deriada, John Owen F. Ong, Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado, Victorio C. Perez, and Sahless E. Magsipoc.

The seminar was historic in that 1) it celebrated the revival and reorganization of the LVAAA, 2) it was the first seminar on Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis in the world and the first to be opened to the public, 3) it was the first seminar to feature the 1st generation system inheritor of the Lapu-Lapu Viñas arnis (Headmaster Wilson “Nonong” E. Viñas) and the oldest living grandmaster of the art in the world (Grandmaster Dominador “Doming” D. Ferrer), and 4) it was the first seminar to showcase the transmutation of Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis to other styles of martial arts.

The participating organizations were Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Dangayan Singkaw-Ryu Aikidokan (DSRA), Fight Club Combat and Streetfighting Center (FC), Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis Aficionados Association (LVAAA), and USLS Aikido Club (USLSAC).