3RD (NEGROIS) PROV’L TAPONDO COMPETITION BIG SUCCESS

Instructors and members of the different chapters of the Tapondo Internatioanl Federation Inc. (TIFI) in Region 6 pose for posterity before the start of the competition.

Negros Island Chief Instructor Roy R. Flores Sr. and the Tapondo International Federation Inc. (TIFI)-Bacolod Chapter in cooperation with Gaisano City Bacolod Supermall, Dr. Marc Victor Lopez, Office of Youth and Health Development (OYSD), and DYRL successfully held and dominated the 3rd (Negros) Regional Tapondo Competition last May 26, 2006 at the Atrium Area, Gaisano City Bacolod Supermall, Brgy. Singcang, Araneta St., Bacolod City.

TIFI-Bacolod topped the competition with a total of 9 titles won. TIFI-Iloilo of TIFI Panay Director SPO4 Roberto Celiz was 2nd place with 6 titles while TIFI-San Carlos of Florencio Yap and Silay of Edrolin Ortigas tied at 3rd place with 2 titles each. Other participating chapters were Calatrava of Danny Lopez, Escalante City of Rolando Mirasol, Sagay City of Frederick Flores, and Toboso of Basilio de la Torre.

BREAKFALLING. Gleen Albina of TIFI-Iloilo (long thrust, 7-10 years old), Slade Matthew Cabelis of TIFI-Bacolod (long thrust, 11-14 years old), Gleen Albina of TIFI-Iloilo (somersault, 7-10 & 11-14 years old), Jake Bugna of TIFI-Bacolod (somersault, 14 above), Rey Balasabas of TIFI-Iloilo (high thrust, 15 above), Dennis Celiz of TIFI-Iloilo (high thrust, black belt).

MULTIPLE ATTACK. Dean Carl Badian of TIFI-Silay (boys 7-10 years old), Juan Ramon Azcona of TIFI-San Carlos (boys 11-14 years old), Ysa Gumarin of TIFI-Iloilo (girls 8-14 years old), Nikki Nuñez of TIFI-Bacolod (girls 14 above), Dr. Mark Lopez of TIFI-Bacolod (black belt).

SELF DEFENSE. Ramil Morales of TIFI-Bacolod (kicking defense, yellow belt category), Louies Miguel Lopez of TIFI-Silay (knife defense, blue belt category), Johnny Cañedo of TIFI-San Carlos (stick defense, brown belt category), Alan Mario Facturan of TIFI-Bacolod (baston exhibition, black belt category).

FORMS. Jared Turbanos of TIFI-Bacolod (bokken, black belt category), Dr. Mark Lopez of TIFI-Bacolod (jo, black belt).

DRAMATIZE GROUP COMPETITION. TIFI-Bacolod.

A guest exhibition was given by the combined contingent of the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Philippine Integrated Martial Arts Academy-Filipino Tang Soo Do Association (PIMAA-FTSDA), and Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association (OFTLSFA).

PIMAA-FTSDA Founder/President Master Elmer V. Montoyo narrated the exhibition of the group which included lastiko and bladed lines of Original Filipino Tapado by Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido; Integration of Muay Thai, Pencak Silat, Wushu, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and other arts into the Filipino Tang Soo Do base by PIMAA-FTSDA Asst. Chief Instructor Elmer “Don-Don” P. Montoyo Jr., PIMAA-FTSDA Caraga Region Head Ernest Christian “Chen-Chen” P. Montoyo, and Michael Gurrea; and Lapu-Lapu Viñas Arnis pang-agaw baston kag cuchillo, Yasay Sable and Guarra Style Saber Foil sparring, Wild Judo knife defense, Silaynon espada y daga opensa depensa, and daga and oido de caburata free form by CMAS Founder James U. Sy Jr. and Instructor Francis Stephen A. Diaz.

The tournamnet was Chief Instructor Flores’ 3rd successive hosted competition since 2004. Flores, who was promoted to 5th degree black belt last December 18, 2005 by the founder, had successfully made TIFI-Negros the largest aikido group in the Negros Island in terms of number of members with 6 active chapters, mostly in Northern Negros Occidental. As of press time, TIFI-Negros had produced a total of 19 black belts (Bacolod has the most with 11).

On May 6, 2006, TIFI-Negros took home 5 trophies from the 2nd (Panay) Regional Tapondo Competition organized by TIFI Panay Director SPO4 Roberto Celiz and TIFI-Iloilo Chapter at SM City Iloilo, Manduriao, Iloilo City.

Tapondo is a Filipino derivative of Japanese aikido founded by Master Ambrosio “Monching” J. Gavileño of Guimaras to suit the self defense needs of the Filipino populace. Tapondo, which was previously known as combat aikido, is a contraction of the Tagalog word tapon “throw” and the Ilonggo term pondo “to stop,” in reference to the primary techniques employed in the art.