SY APPOINTED PHILSILAT BACOLOD COORDINATOR

Philippine Pencak Silat Association (Philsilat) Western Visayas/Region 6 Vice President/Director Orlando G. Garpa of Tigbauan, Iloilo appointed James U. Sy, Jr. as the 4th Bacolod City coordinator for the association during the 1st Negros Occidental Philsilat Regional Technical Seminar Workshop “The Reintroduction of Pencak Silat in Bacolod City” held with the sponsorship of the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS) on May 3-4, 2003 at the Bacolod Aikido Enthusiasts (BAE) dojo, Villa Angela Subdivision, Bacolod City. The appointment gave Sy the authority to promote and propagate pencak silat in Bacolod City in line with the association’s policies. The Philippine Pencak Silat Association is the recognized National Sport Association (NSA)/National Governing Body (NGB) of the art in the Philippines.

Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado was made vice coordinator.

The seminar was conducted by Director Garpa with the help of Philsilat Region 6 Board Director and National Wasit Jury Francisco Arboleda, Jr., also from Tigbauan. 10 martial artists representing 4 organizations were in attendance.

Although it was only the 2nd pencak silat olahraga seminar to be held in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, it was still significant since it was the reintroduction of the art in the city and the province after initial efforts were made to introduce the art in 2000 but failed to sustain growth.

The participating organizations were CMAS, Dangayan Singkaw-Ryu Aikidokan, Kimdo Martial Arts Organization, and Manapla Aikido.