All set for 16th WEKAF Championships

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu will once again be the center of arnis world as it hosts the 16th World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF) Championships on July 17-21 at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex.

For the WEKAF family, it marks for the first time that they’re holding their biennial tournament without Supreme Grandmaster Dionisio “Diony” Cañete, their founder and chairman emeritus, who passed away in 2020.

“This event is one of SGM Diony’s enduring legacies that is why we have to continue it,” said the United States-based SGM Arnulfo “Dong” Cuesta, who succeeds Cañete as president of the Doce Pares global federation.

The last time the prestigious event was staged in the Philippines was in 2016 at the J Center Mall Convention Centre. It was then held in Hawaii, USA in 2018 but the 2020 edition was scrapped because of the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.   

Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (PEKAF) Executive Vice President Master Gerald Cañete said they are expecting around 400 arnisadors from at least a dozen countries to join the five-day tilt backstopped by PEKAF President Sen. Juan Miguel “Migs” Zubiri, Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia, and mayors Mike Rama of Cebu City and Jonas Cortes of Mandaue.

Among the foreign martial artists that will be coming over to show their stuff in the art of stick-fighting are from the US, Germany, Portugal, Brazil, India, Iran, Korea, Switzerland, and Cambodia.

“It’s already a good number considering that each one of us are still facing the challenges brought about by the pandemic,” said  Cañete. “The most important thing is that we’re back. And WEKAF is here to stay no matter what.”

“I would like to take this opportunity to express our profound gratitude to Senator Migs Zubiri for his all-out support in all our endeavors. The Cebuanos are truly happy with Sen. Migs for his dedicated efforts in helping promote this ingenious Filipino martial art of arnis, which the Cebuanos can call their own as it origins can be traced back to the natives of Mactan Island then led by Datu Lapu-Lapu.”

Before the centerpiece World Arnis Championships, there will be a two-day pre-qualifying event on July 17-18.