2006 ARNIS DAY A HIT

Grandmaster Jerson "Nene" Tortal of Talisay City giving kis keynote speech at the opening of the event.


Grandmasters all (from left): GM Benefredo "Bebing" M. Lobrido of the Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association (OFTLSFA), Ret. P/Sgt. GM Estanislao "Eslao" T. Guarra of the Guarra Style Modern Arnis and Self Defense Association (GSMASDA), Grandmaster Jose "Joe" Mancesa of the Negros United Fighting Arts Academy (NUFAA), and Col. Dr. Atty. Grandmaster Marcelo C. Jalandoon of the Negros Ocvcidental Baston Federation (NOBF).


Grandmaster Romeo Oro of the Oro Arnis Club, Cauayan (left) doing his disarming routine.


Grandmaster Isaac Guarra of Arjuka-Malingin, Bago City (left) demonstrating the empty hand phase of Arjuka.


Grandmaster Jose "Joe" Mancesa of the Negros United Fighting Arts Academy, Bago City (left) performs the close quarter style of Alasabate Sciencia (Recto Style Arnis) with NUFAA Chief Instructor and CMAS Board Director Wilson A. Alvarado.


Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS) Business Manager Francis Stephen A. Diaz (left) demonstrating Guarra Style Southern Negrense Saber Foil Fighting together with CMAS Board Director Wilson A. Alvarado.

Filipino martial arts exponents representing more than 10 federations, associations, and academies from Bacolod City, Bago City, Cauayan, Pontevedra, Silay City, and Talisay City gathered together at the Bacolod City Public Plaza to lend support and make the 2006 Arnis Day Grandmasters, Masters, and Seniors National Invitational arnis Championships a real success last March 19, 2006.

The event was organized by Grandmaster Hortencio Navales, Founder/President of the Bacolod Negros Arnis Federation International Inc. (BNAFII). The Arnis Day was started by GM navales in March 1979 to commemorate the historic battle between native Chief Lapu-Lapu and Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, who was representing Spain, in the island of Mactan in 1521. He had it approved and consequently approved by the Bacolod City local government.

Grandmaster Romeo Oro of Cauayan’s Oro Arnis Club, representing BNAFII, figured in several demonstrations involving paired solo baston and empty handed defenses against the blade.

Col. Atty. Grandmaster Marcelo C. Jalandoon of Talisay City, Ph.D., Founder/President of the Negros Occidental Baston Federation (NOBF), brought the various grandmasters in his organization in support of the event.

Leading the NOBF entries for the exhibition competition were the combined Bago City delegation of the Guarra Style Modern Arnis and Self Defense Association (GSMASDA) of NOBF Vice President-South Negros Grandmaster Estanislao “Eslao” T. Guarra and Arjuka-Malingin of NOBF Board Director Grandmaster Isaac “Saac” T. Guarra and the Philippine Arnis (Kali) Escrima Martial Arts Federation International Inc. of NOBF Vice President-North Negros Grandmaster Jerson “Nene” Tortal of Talisay City.

The Tortal Clan’s dekiti tirsia siradas exhibition centered on the use of the long as well as the short blades. GM Nene Tortal stood out from the other Tortals with his visually captivating G.I. Joe type blue and gray camouflage uniform. The Guarra delegation showed sinawali, pangamut combining arnis, judo, and karate Filipino style, and modernist stickfighting. The Guarra demonstrators include Nievely Flores, Maryjune Guanga, Mark Jerson Guarra, Jonar Guarra, Jackie Rey Tragona, and Rodolfo Vilchez. The Guarras took 3rd place while the Tortals took the top plum.

Grandmaster Ricky Tenirife Golden Kamagong Arnis Kali Escrima Association-Pontevedra/NOBF demonstrated espada y daga and was promoted to grandmaster under the BNAFII by GM Navales. GM Felix A. Guinabo of Guinabo Arnis and combat Sports (GACS)/NOBF gave his support as a judge in the stickfighting competition.

GM Navales himself gave an espada y daga demonstration inspite of being the master of ceremonies.

The most diverse series of demonstrations was from the combined delegation of the Bacolod Oido de Caburata Arnis Society (BAODCAS), Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), and Negros United Fighting Arts Academy (NUFAA) which featured 8 styles of Negrense Filipino martial arts (FMA) from 6 places in the Negros Island.

Grandmaster Jose “Joe” Mancesa, Founder of NUFAA, with the help of NUFAA Chief Instructor and CMAS Board Director Wilson A. Alvarado, demonstrated the tight and close in style Alasabate Science which descended from the late Grandmaster Dominador Recto. Alvarado also had an exhibition with Stevie John Doctora.

The BAODCAS of Grand Patriarch Jose D. Aguilar of Murcia was represented by Master Ritchie S. Piodena and BAODCAS/CMAS Treasurer Joeffrey S. Deriada. They gave the first public demonstration of oido de caburata, Aguilar style in Bacolod City and were the first to use the oido protected stick in a public exhibition.

NOBF Treasurer and CMAS Business Manager Francis Stephen A. Diaz demonstrated Guarra style saber fighting, Silaynon espada y daga, and oido de caburata, Gubaton style. CMAS Founders Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado and James U. Sy Jr. showed the indigenous Bagoueño long stick fighting art of tapado. Sy also exhibited the Bacoleño art of Lapu-Lapu Viñas arnis and the Bayawanon wild judo.

Other Negrense FMA personalities present were Grandmaster Frank Abalajon of BNAFII, Grandmaster Dominador “Doming” D. ferrer of Kalantiaw Defense Society, Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido of the Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association, Master Elmer V. Montoyo of the Philippine Integrated Martial Arts Academy-Filipino Tang Soo Do Association, Master Jimmy Villo of BAODCAS, etc.