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PHILIPPINE ODYSSEY VI
By Jay de Leon
Chapter 4
July 25 – Aug. 2, 2010
5th World FMA Festival
Puerto Princesa, Palawan
The 5th World Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) Festival is an international training camp, gala dinner and award night, and tournament sponsored by the International Modern Arnis Federation of the Phil. (IMAFP) every two years.
It is usually held at a beach or resort facility. The previous venue in 2008 was in Boracay, Philippines, which boasts of the world’s most pristine beaches. This year, the location chosen was no less idyllic—Puerto Princesa in the province of Palawan, Philippines.
As a sidebar, a few years ago, one of my favorite destinations was another resort town in Palawan, called Coron. Coron is known as a diver’s paradise with many sunken wrecks from World War II as well as colorful marine life and corals among the gorgeous reefs, shoals and mangroves that Palawan is known for.
Officially, the Festival was scheduled from July 25, 2010 Sunday through Aug. 2, 2010 Sunday. But I decided to fly in a couple of days early to get a jump on the sun, sea and surf.
At the airport in Puerto Princesa, I immediately ran into several foreign delegates, including several German delegates under Datu Dieter Knuttel’s Deutscher Arnis Verband (DAV) like Alina, Hans Karrer and his crew, and Raymond, the lone candidate from Norway, who had flown straight from Muay Thai training in Bangkok, Thailand.
We were met by Master Ludy Losanes, the IMAFP Coordinator for Palawan and the 2010 FMA Festival Coordinator, and his able sidekick, guro Dennis Santos, also an arnis guro in Palawan. These two gentlemen graciously gave me a ride to my seaside hotel, Puerto Pension on the picturesque Baywalk.
By July 25, Sunday, many of my arnisador friends, my own students from La Carlota, Negros Occidental, and other foreign delegates started showing up at different hotels. These included GM Cristino Vasquez, my personal guro Master Godofredo Fajardo, my partner-in- crime guro Michael Gubat, the official videographer for the Festival, and other IMAFP honchos GM Bambit Dulay, Jimson Dearos, Paolo Motita, and Rei Samson. A couple of latecomers included guros Cocoy Oyales and Pani Nagen.
Of course, the usual international suspects showed up and added color and excitement to the proceedings. These included:
- GM Datu Dieter Knuttel, who came with his family and as usual with the largest delegation of the festival, his group Deutscher Arnis Verband (DAV) mostly from Germany as well as other parts of Europe.
- Dayang Edessa Ramos, IMAFP Commissioner for Europe, with her little boy in tow, all the way from Switzerland. Husband Robert, who is a military officer as well as an arnisador under GM Bram Frank, could not make it as he was currently deployed with NATO forces in Afghanistan.
- Guro Rene Cerezo, IMAFP Commissioner of Hong Kong.
- Guro Romy Ballares from Tokyo, Japan who is also an aikido master.
- Jay de Leon from California, USA, IMAFP Commissioner of North America.
The first few days of the Festival consisted of arnis training on the sandy beaches of Emerald Playa, Puerto Princesa. Some of the styles I thoroughly enjoyed included:
- Espada y daga training by GM Cristino Vasquez. GM Cris Vasquez is one of the few Modern Arnis grandmasters I know who teaches a comprehensive, structured system of espada y daga that can compare with vaunted espada y daga systems of Momoy Canete’s San Miguel Eskrima which I learned from my friend Magtutudlo Ramon Rubia and GM Isidring Casio, and Edgar Sulite’s Lameco espada y daga which I learned from my friend and Lameco master Felix Valencia of the USA.
- Abanico Tres Puntas system by GM Rene Tongson. This was probably my third lesson in this system. I liked this style the moment I saw it years ago, which includes largo, medio and corto slashes, sunkites, abanicos, punyos, etc. It requires a lot of distance and angle changes, nimble footwork and conditioned reflexes to play this full speed but it is exhilirating and challenging, like most arnis skills. I would also like to thank GM Rene for his gift of a DVD of his Abanico Tres Puntas system, which I will share with my son Mitch in the United States whom GM Rene personally taught his AbanicoTres Puntas system.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my sparring partner, IMAFP guro Edwin Velasquez, from Jolo, Mindanao, for being my able partner in these two exercises.
Some other IMAFP trainors at the camp included GM Bambit Dulay, Master Godofredo Fajardo, Datu Dieter Knuttel and Hans Karrer of Germany, Dayang Edessa Ramos of Switzerland and Ed Kwan of Houston, Texas, USA.
The crowd favorites featuring guest instructors included :
- GM Rodel Dagooc. I have seen GM Rodel perform many times before, including in previous FMA Festivals. Extremely fast with his sticks, earning him the sobriquet “Smoking Sticks,” he seems to get faster and more agile the whiter his hair gets. He is also known for his animated performances and comedic routines. At a self-defense sequence during the Festival, uke or dummy guro Rei Samson pulled GM Rodel’s pants down, and the crowd roared with laughter. For the uninitiated, that is a standard Rodel Dagooc schtick.
- GM Tony Diego of Kalis Ilustrisimo. Many foreign delegates got their first glimpse of the unique and very effective system of Kalis Ilustrisimo demonstrated by GM Tony Diego and his crew. Tony Diego is known as one of the “Four Pillars of Kalis Ilustrisimo,” the style founded by Tatang Ilustrisimo. (The three other Pillars are Yuli Romo, Christopher Ricketts and Rey Galang, all of whom I have trained with either in the Philippines or the USA.)
The last two days of the Festival consisted of a tournament, with competitions in standard anyo (form), creative anyo, pakitang gilas, sayaw, duelo and laban or laban-laro (stick sparring).
These events were well-attended with the participants numbering close to a hundred. Most of the participants were local, from both Luzon (Bulacan, Pasay City, etc.), the Visayas (Bacolod, Iloilo, La Carlota, etc.) and several contingents from Palawan. There was a sprinkling of foreign delegates, mostly from Russia and Jordan. The event was open to the public, mostly students, under the auspices of the city.
I coached my teams from La Carlota (Phil) and Jordan (Middle East), who garnered a couple of medals. It was fun for all the participants, coaches and on-lookers, medal or no medal.
This scintillating report cannot be complete without mentioning the natural beauty, cleanliness, friendliness and sportsmindedness of the host city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
The city was extremely clean by Philippine and Asian standards, reminiscent of Singapore, imposing heavy fines for littering.
The tours were varied and truly exciting and natural—the underground river, the crocodile farm and natural preserve, the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, etc. Daytime and evening dining and entertainment were pleasing to the eyes and the palate as well. We dined at several inasal (barbecued chicken) restaurants, the Baker Hill complex, and a huge restaurant with multiple bars and billiard tables called Kinabuch’s. As an aside, we dined several times at the latter restaurant, and always ordered a tourist as well as local delicacy, crocodile meat.
Mayor Edward Hagedorn, true to his goal and his promise to promote Palawan as a sports as well as a tourist capital of the Philippines, extended his full cooperation to the Festival, including the use of the Coliseum.
In summary, the 5th World FMA Festival was a reunion, a hardcore arnis training camp, an eco-tour adventure, a lovefest and beach blanket bingo all rolled into one.
The planning, officiating and judging of the tournament events were as usual topnotch and professional—not surprising since the IMAFP crew mostly from Manila has been doing this for many years all over the Philippines. The only negative with the Festival were the logistic and administrative aspects relating to tour and event scheduling, camp cuisine and information dissemination, which left much to be desired. I strongly recommend hiring or consulting professionals and knowledgeable people to handle these specific functions in the future.
I can only speak for myself, but I daresay I got my fill of arnis training, sun and surf, new and renewed friendships and a rip-roaring time.
Thanks you and kudos to the organizers, delegates, and supporters of the 5th World FMA Festival, including the city of Puerto Princesa and Mayor Hagedorn. See you all at the 6th World FMA Festival, insh’allah.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas at ang arnis!
Photo Gallery
Beach Training
Part of the beach and mangrove at Emerald Playa, Puerto Princesa
Palawan, Philippines.
The camp’s registration desk and tent at the beach itself
on Emerald Playa, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, site of
the training camp of the 5th World FMA Festival on July 2010.
IMAFP Guro Jimson Dearos leads his group during the first day
of training at the Emerald Playa, Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
Ed Kwan of Houston, Texas, USA (right) demonstrates a technique
during his class at the first day of training at Emerald Playa,
Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.
Master Godofredo Fajardo (right) demonstrates a technique
on guro Rei Samson during his class at Emerald Playa,
Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.
Gala Night
Part of the entertainment during the Gala Night of the 5th World FMA
Festival held in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines
on July 2010.
Senator Migz Zubiri, in blue barong, poses with his award and
IMAFP masters during the Gala Night of the 5th World FMA
Festival held in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines
in July 2010.
A special treat during the Gala Night at the 5th World FMA
Festival was an arnis demonstration by guest Senator Migz
Zubiri (in blue barong), himself an arnisador with the
vaunted Bakbakan group at one time.
Parade of Delegates and Tournament
The dais at the Coliseum during the 5th World FMA Festival in
Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines on July, 2010.
A lively dance number at the Coliseum during the 5th World FMA
Festival in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines on July, 2010.
A delegate from Jordan, the Middle East, proudly marches
with his flag and traditional dress during the parade of
delegates and tournament participants during the 5th World
FMA Festival in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines
in July 2010.
Jay de Leon of California, USA proudly marched under the
banner of the United States of America. Jay de Leon is also
the Commissioner of North America for the International
Modern Arnis Federation of the Phil. (IMAFP), the host of
the 5th World FMA Festival held in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
The La Carlota team prepares for the parade of athletes
before the tournament of the 5th World FMA Festival
in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines on July 2010.
Jay de Leon of the International Modern Arnis Federation of
the Phil. (IMAFP) poses with his team from La Carlota, Negros
Occidental before the parade of participants to the Tournament
of the 5th World FMA Festival held at the Coliseum in Puerto
Princesa, Palawan, Philippines on July 2010.
La Carlota laban fighter Christine Macalipsay with coach
Jay de Leon await their turn in the holding pen
for the laban tournament at the 5th World FMA Festival
at the Coliseum in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on July 2010.
GM Cristino Vasquez, Christine Macalipsay of La Carlota
(silver) and the gold medal winner from Pasay City, who
won by sudden death in an exciting, hard-hitting finals
bour cheered by supporters from both teams.
Wail Irshaid of Jordan (on #3) shares a bronze medal.
I coached Wail and the Jordanian team. Wail lost by
sudden death as well. Yes, I was 0 for 2 in finals
coaching, losing in sudden death. But I was proud
of my students.
Wail Irshaid of Jordan (center) proudly poses with his guro,
Master Godofredo Fajardo (left) who trained him in Saudi Arabia,
and Jay de Leon of the USA who coached him in the tournament.
Maru Macalipsay of La Carlota, Negros Occidental,
Philippines (right) garnered a bronze medal
in creative anyo.
Edward Emboltorio of La Carlota, Master Godofredo Fajardo,
Wail Irshaid of Jordan, and Maru Macalipsay of La Carlota.
A group picture of laban participants, featuring fighters, coaches
and IMAFP masters and officiating and judging crew.
Gallery of Masters
GM Rodel “Smoking Sticks” Dagooc (right) of the Philippines
and Jay de Leon of the USA at the 5th World FMA Festival
in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines on July 2010.
GM Rodel “Smoking Sticks” Dagooc (right) of the Philippines
and Jay de Leon of the USA at 5th World FMA Festival
in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines on July 2010.
GM Tony Diego of Kalis Ilustrisimo (left) and Jay de Leon of the
International Modern Arnis Federation of the Phil (IMAFP) at the
5th World FMA Festival at the Coliseum in Puerto Princesa,
Palawan on July 2010.
GM Tony Diego of Kalis Ilustrisimo (left) and Jay de Leon of the
International Modern Arnis Federation of the Phil (IMAFP) at the
5th World FMA Festival at the Coliseum in Puerto Princesa,
Palawan, Philippines on July 2010.
GM Tony Diego of Kalis Ilustrisimo (center), Jay de Leon (left) and
Michael Gubat of the International Modern Arnis Federation of the
Phil (IMAFP) at the 5th World FMA Festival at the Coliseum
in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on July 2010.
Master Godofredo Fajardo of the International Modern Arnis
Federation of the Phil. (IMAFP) strikes a pose against a picturesque
background provided by the Baywalk in Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Philippines during the 5th World FMA Festival in July, 2010.
Dayang Edessa Ramos (center), IMAFP Commissioner for Europe,
GM Cristino Vasquez (right) and Jay de Leon, IMAFP Commissioner
for North America, at the 5th World FMA Festival in Puerto Princesa,
Palawan, Philippines on July 2010.
Roy de Leon, IMAFP Commissioner of Panay, GM Rodel “Smoking
Sticks” Dagooc, Dayang Edessa Ramos, Commissioner for
Europe, Dayang Ginalyn Relos, now teaching on her own
in the Middle East, and Jay de Leon, Commissioner for
North America.
Rene Cerezo, IMAFP Commissioner for Hong Kong,
Dayang Edessa Ramos, Commissioner for Europe,
Dayang Ginalyn Relos of the Middle East, and
Jay de Leon, Commissioner for North America.
GM Cristino Vasquez (right) and Jay de Leon, IMAFP
Commissioner for North America, at the 5th World FMA
Festival in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines
on July 2010.
Guro Edwin Velasquez of Jolo, Jay de Leon of California, USA
and Master Godofredo Fajardo of Manila at the 5th World
FMA Festival in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on July 2010.
Group Pictures
A group picture of the 5th World FMA Festival held at the Coliseum in
Puerto Princesa, Palawan on July, 2010. The people on stage represent
some of the masters, grandmasters and guest instructors of the Festival.
They include from left to right, Jimson Dearos, Paolo Motita, Peachie Saguin,
Jay de Leon, Nonoy Poblacion, Rey Postrado, Ludy Losanes, Rodel Dagooc,
Cristino Vasquez, Tony Diego, Dieter Knuttel, Hans Karrer, Bambit Dulay,
Ed Kwan and Godofredo Fajardo.
Group picture of some delegates and Tournament participants
from the Tinagan school of Iloilo during the 5th World FMA Festival
held at the Coliseum in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines
in July 2010. Some masters of the International Modern Arnis
Federation of the Phil. (IMAFP) include Bambit Dulay (seated,
extreme left), Godofredo Fajardo (seated, extreme right) and
Jay de Leon (standing, extreme left).
A group picture of tournament participants, featuring fighters,
coaches and IMAFP masters, and officiating and judging crew.
Guests, delegates and masters of the International Modern
Arnis Federation of the Phil. (IMAFP) pose in their finery
during the Gala Night of the 5th World FMA Festival
in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines in July 2010.
Underground River
The expedition to the underground river in Puerto Princesa,
Palawan, Philippines during the 5th World FMA Festival
in July 2010.
Approaching the entrance of the underground river in
Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.
Inside the cave and some of its denizens at the underground
river in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.
Crocodile Farm and Natural Preserve
IMAFP guros Edwin Velasquez of Jolo and Jay de Leon of the USA
pose with the La Carlota team members before the tour.
Those are the skeleton and hide of the biggest Philippine
crocodile caught in Palawan, Philippines.
A Philippine crocodile at the Crocodile Farm
in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.
Hatchlings (babies) of the Philippine crocodile at the
Crocodile Farm in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.
Feeding time. Note meat being dangled before hungry crocodiles
at the Crocodile Farm in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.
The most dangerous animal on the planet earth…
Just a little lovefest at the Crocodile Farm
in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.
Mighty hunter Godofredo Fajardo poses with a crocodile
hatchling at the Crocodile Farm at Puerto Princesa,
Palawan, Philippines during the 5th World FMA Festival
in July 2010.
Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm
At the store of the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm
in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines.
Baker Hill
Baker Hill is an entertainment complex in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines with shops, restaurants, kids’ playground and Disneyland figures placed strategically all over the complex.
This horse at Baker’s Hill in Puerto Princesa, Palawan,
Philippines, reminded me of Roy Roger’s horse Trigger
in Apple Valley Ranch in California, USA.
Jay de Leon poses with an old friend from Hollywood,
California, USA at Baker’s Hill in Puerto Princesa,
Palawan, Philippines.
Kinabuch’s
Kinabuch’s is a popular restaurant in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, with multiple bars and pool tables. I dined there several times with different groups. I saw and chatted with several Festival delegates also dining and playing pool there.
The Michael Gubat family with Jay de Leon at Kinabuch’s
during the 5th World FMA Festival at Puerto Princesa,
Palawan, Philippines, on July 2010.
The Michael Gubat family with Jay de Leon at Kinabuch’s
during the 5th World FMA Festival at Puerto Princesa,
Palawan, Philippines, on July 2010.
The Michael Gubat family with Jay de Leon at Kinabuch’s
during the 5th World FMA Festival at Puerto Princesa,
Palawan, Philippines, on July 2010.
Jay de Leon of the International Modern Arnis Federation of the
Phil. (IMAFP), right, with some of his La Carlota team at
Kinabuch’s during the 5th World FMA Festival at
Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, on July 2010.
From left to right, Joe from Okinawa, Christine and Edward from
Negros Occidental, Philippines, Wail Irshaid from Jordan,
Jay de Leon from California, USA and Roy de Leon from Iloilo,
Philippines, at Kinabuch’s during the 5th World FMA Festival
in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines on July 2010.
Roy de Leon, IMAFP Commissioner of Panay (right), and Jay de Leon,
IMAFP Commissioner for North America, hoisted a few at Kinabuch’s.
Although we are not related, we address each other as “primo” or
cousin, as we have been friends and comrade-in-arms for a
few years now.
Faces in the Festival
The youngest delegate and future arnisador from
Jordan, the Middle East, at the 5th World FMA Festival,
held in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines
on July, 2010.
This painted warrior from Roy de Leon’s school
in Iloilo was both a performer as well as an anyo
medalist at the Tournament of the 5th World FMA
Festival in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines
on July 2010.
A smart-looking Boy Scout of the Philippines holds
the USA plaque at the Tournament of the 5th World
FMA Festival in Puerto Princesa, Palawan,
Philippines on July 2010.
Beauty and the beast. Alina from Germany (right) and Jay
from the USA, sometime training partners, did their share
to improve international relations during the 5th World
FMA Festival at Puerto Princesa, Palawan on July 2010.
Just another pretty face at the the 5th World FMA
Festival at Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines
on July 2010.
Adieu
They say all good things must end. See you at the next
6th World FMA Festival, insh’allah.
This article may not be reproduced or reprinted, in whole or in part, including pictures and captions, without the express, written consent of the author or the owner of this website.
Photos courtesy of Michael Gubat and Godofredo Fajardo of the Philippines, and Jay de Leon of the USA. All rights reserved.
To be continued… Chapter 5 Click Here
Prologue, Chapt 1-3 Click Here
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