Bad Write Up or Simply Incompetent Writing.

"http://www.fmaforum.org/lofiversion/index.php/t1061.html

conceptual warrior
Apr 21 2007, 12:14 PM
Actually the FMA Digest Special Edition for Vasquez Modified Tapado (VMT) is already out for subscribers.

VMT, as its name implies, is a modification or derivvative of Original Filipino Tapado (OFT) by Headmaster Mike F. Vasquez, former Philippine Professional Karate Heavyweight champion.

Vasquez Sensei of Bacolod City started studying OFT under its founder the late Grandmaster Romeo "Nono" C. Mamar of Brgy. Taloc, Bago City in 1984. Vasquez Sensei dedicated himself to the art, which was founded in 1960.

Aside from GM Mamar, he also had special sessions with Master Benefredo "Being" M. Lobrido, the nephew of the founder and the chief instructor of the Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association (OFTLSFA) and trained together with other Masters like Jose A Pamilangco and Nelson G. Carmona, both of Brgy Taloc, Bago City.

In 1986. GM Mamar awarded master degrees to 4 people - Chief Instructor Benefredo "Bebing" M Lobrido, his nephew; Rene F. Cornel and Jose A. Pamilangco, both relatives to GM Mamar; and Mike F. Vasquez Sensei.

When GM Mamar passed away in 2005, Vasquez Sensei started the formal establishment of the Vasuqez Modified Martial Arts International and subseq
conceptual warrior
Apr 21 2007, 12:25 PM
(sorry guys, touched the wrong keys hehehe)

subsequently pushed for the propagation of Vasquez Modified tapado (VMT). The founder granted Headmaster Vasquez authority to spread Tapado to the world years before he died.

On the other hand, Master Benefredo "Bebing" M Lopbrido, in a simple ceremony during the funeral service of the late founder, was designated the inheritor/successor and new Grandmaster of Original Filipino Tapado (OFT), having 45 years of Tapado experience at that time and having served as chief instructor of the association for a long time.

So today, we have Original Filipino Tapado (OFT) under 1st Generation Inheritor Grandmaster Benefredo "Bebing" M. Lopbrido and Vasquez Modified Tapado (VMT) under Founder/Headmaster Mike f. Vasquez.

Somewhere up north there is also a Karaan tapado, which was set up by GM Nono's cousin, the late GM Norberto Mamar. But then that's another story.

Each of these arts have their own approaches to training and strategy yet they also goes back to the founder, Grandmaster Romeo "Nono" C. Mamar."


another write up... http://oftlsfai.blogspot.com/

"Thursday, July 17, 2008
ORIGINAL TAPADO INHERITOR/HEADMASTER TURNS 58 By: James U. Sy Jr.

...It was in the 1980’s, more than 20 years after Original Filipino Tapado was perfected, that GM Nono Mamar, together with his nephew, introduced it to people outside of Taloc. Masters from Bacolod would flock to Taloc just to learn this unique art. People like the late Rene Cornel, the Gonzalez brothers of Central Philippines Combat Karate and also Mike Vasquez of the Vasquez Martial Arts Center. They would travel through a rough road just to reach Bgy. Taloc.

It was in 1984 that the association was founded by these people. These people have at one time or another were under the instructorship of both the Founder and his Chief Instructor, then Master Bebing Lobrido.

To answer the second question, Guro Mike Vasquez was once a student of GM Nono Mamar and one time or another was under the instructorship of the Chief Instructor GM Bebing Lobrido under the supervision of GM Nono. Aside from the regular practice in their dojo, Guro Mike Vasquez sought private tutorship with the Founder. In fact, according to reliable sources, it was GM Bebing Lobrido who fed for Guro Mike during demonstration and practices.

As to my acquaintance with Tapado, I was first introduced to Guro Mike’s Modified Tapado by a common friend and also a Junior Instructor of Original Filipino Tapado. At first I learned the basics from Guro Mike. As a seeker of truth, I was not just satisfied with what was modified but sought the original that is why I went to GM Bebing. When GM Nono was semi retired, Modified Tapado gained prominence. Lastly, GM Bebing was a Tapado practitioner since 1960 when he was just 10 and was already the Chief Instructor of the art when people from Bacolod (this includes Gonzalez Brothers, Rene Cornel, Elmer V/. Montoryo of Filipino Tang Soo Do, George Gargalicano, etc.) came to Taloc during the mid-1980’s in particular during 1984.

It was only in the mid 1980’s when they learned the basics of Tapado while GM Bebing was the one feeding for their strikes. Later on, Master Joe Pamilangko also of Taloc took over the task of GM Bebing as Chief Instructor when GM Bebing went to Manila to look for a job as a seaman (he was the first seaman in their purok to pursue his career in Manila. GM Bebing was a certified seaman after undergoing a 6 months study.But he was unfortunate and never landed a job as a seaman in Manila that he went back to Taloc). Meanwhile, these Bacolod enthusiasts would go to Master Nelson Carmona to practice in Bacolod at the back of the State Theater..

To answer the last question, it is a subjective one. If one looks at it as just an interpretation so be it. But it is clear that he was once under the Masters of Taloc. The basis of the strikes of Modified Tapado were from Original Filipino Tapado, no more no less. In ilonggo “waay kinalis.” After the Founder died, Guro Mike came out with the book Fundamentals of Tapado, which presents his Modified Tapado, retaining the original strikes of Original Tapado with some changes.

For the question of “Is Tapado part of Kali?,” the answer is no. By the mere fact that we do not call the Negrense Filipino Martial Arts or for that matter the Filipino Martial Arts as a whole Kali. It is a foreign word to the Negros Arnisadores. In fact, in one of the meetings of the Association, GM Nono would not approve of being affiliated to the Kali of Leo Gaje. So until now the Arnisadores and Escrimadores and Bastoneros here do not recognize Kali. It has no legitimate history. It is a word coined by the Fil-ams in America and tried to impose it on the locals. If the question is, is it a part of Arnis, then the answer is yes. GM Nono developed it from what he learned from the local masters of Arnis/Escrima/Baston.

This is also in response to those who are spreading the lies that the Original Filipino Tapado is no more because the Founder is already dead. This is to challenge those who are spreading the lies to go to Taloc and try to read the local news that the Original Tapado is alive and very busy in propagating the art. Maybe those who are spreading the lies do not know where Taloc is. One can not go to Bago City without passing Taloc. It is the first barangay that one encounters when one goes to Bago from Bacolod .

I Hope this will open the eyes and ears of those who are trying to be blind and deaf to the truth. Original Tapado is and will be alive so long as GM Lobrido and his to-be-designated successor are alive. The goal of the association is to keep the art alive and functional and not necessarily to mass introduce it. Those who are interested will find it wherever it is, just like I did and many others before and after me."

HERE ARE THE FACTS

GM Vasquez was a direct student of GM Mamar. He did not have special sessions with anyone less than the Grand Master himself.

GM Vasquez did not formally establish Modified Tapado after GM Mamar's passing away. Modified Tapado was established with the blessing of GM Mamar by virtue of the Authorization signed personally by GM Mamar.

GM Vasquez was never under many masters... he studied Tapado ONLY from GM Mamar.

The use of the term "waay kinalis" is not valid. Scientific principles make a world of difference. These scientific principles reinforced the Tapado taught by GM Mamar, not Original Tapado.

GM Mamar's art is Tapado founded in the 60s the same Tapado learned by GM Vasquez; Modified Tapado was developed when GM Vasquez became an adept and "road-tested" the principles behind the modifications... the modifications themselves were known to GM Mamar.

Other practitioners of Tapado who were invited for picture taking before to be part of GM Vasquez's book but declined. The book "Fundamentals of Tapado" was published with the blessing of GM Mamar.

Tapado was founded in the 1960s, Fundamentals of Tapado by GM Vasquez was published in 2003, Original Filipino Tapado was SEC registered only in December 16, 2005. Question is... which came first? GM Mamar's Tapado or Original Filipino Tapado?

The first paragraph quoted from the http://oftlsfai.blogspot.com/ write-up made mention of masters who flocked to Taloc to study Tapado "and also Mike Vasquez of the Vasquez Martial Arts Center" but did the writer mention that GM Vasquez was the president of the Tapado organization at that time?

The Secrets of Tapado - A film on Tapado was once uploaded on Youtube. It tells a profound and reliable story of Who's Who in Tapado. Ask those who posted it why it was removed... even much better, ask who owns the film.

There was no other person granted the Authority by GM Mamar other than GM Vasquez. The Authority was signed by GM Mamar himself.

The ceremony designating the inheritor/successor and new Grandmaster of Original Filipino Tapado (OFT)was done during the funeral service of the late founder GM Mamar.

Please check the validity and reliability of several posts made by people claiming to "know".

We have nothing against the other practitioners of Tapado but oppose those who do not know how to write facts - those who claim to seek the truth but in fact spread lies.

--- this is so that the public may know.