MODERN ARNIS NOW PRACTICED
BY THE MILITARY IN JORDAN
By Jay de Leon

Mainly through the efforts of guros (teachers) of International Modern Federation of the Philippines (IMAFP) and Filipino Fighting Arts International (FFAI), the Filipino martial art of Modern Arnis as founded by Prof. Remy Presas has been warmly embraced and incorporated in the training of the military in Jordan, in the Middle East.

Several guros teach in Jordan under the authority of Master Godofredo Fajardo, Commissioner for the Middle East for IMAFP and Founder of FFAI. Their activities are sanctioned by the Jordan Arnis Committee headed by Dr. Basel Al-Shair. The most active certified Modern Arnis guros in Jordan include Wail Ershaid and Wail Yahya, who gave several seminars to military personnel pictured here in Amman, Jordan in early 2008.

In a sequence of pictures here, Dr. Basel Al-Shair hands out awards and commendations to military personnel and Modern Arnis instructors. Dr. Basel Al-Shair has been very supportive and influential in supporting the teaching of Modern Arnis in Jordan, both to military personnel and civilians alike.

On behalf of his twin organizations based in Manila, Philippines, IMAFP and FFAI, Master Godofredo Fajardo commended both guros and their crews for their untiring work in promoting Modern Arnis in Jordan, thanked Dr. Basel Al-Shair and the Jordan Arnis Committee for their support of Modern Arnis in Jordan, and congratulated the Jordan military for adding Modern Arnis to their combat skills.

Modern Arnis, Jordan military style

Group picture of seminar conducted by GuroWail Ershaid (in red jacket)
with Guro Wail Yahya (bearded gentleman with dark jacket) in
Amman, Jordan in March 2008 under the authority of the
International Modern Arnis Federation of the Philippines (IMAFP)
and Filipino Fighting Arts International (FFAI) under
Master Godofredo Fajardo, and sanctioned by the
Jordan Arnis Committee headed by Dr. Basel Al-Shair.

With Mahamod Al-Raby (in light green sweatpants) and other
Jordanian military personnel and Modern Arnis instructors.

Dr. Basel Al-Shair of the Jordan Arnis Committee (in dark suit) prepares
to hand out the awards with the help of Jordanian military officers.

An award from the Jordan Arnis Committee. Note the colored
Filipino Fighting Arts logo in a circle.

Again, note the Jordan Arnis Committee and Filipino Fighting Arts logo
on the awardee’s black sweatshirt. What a cool outfit.

Photos courtesy of Godofredo Fajardo