Master Ekin in pantheon of Phl martial arts greats

CEBU, Philippines - His hardwork and dedication for martial arts paid off as Yaw-Yan ArDigma Cebu CEO and Founder Master Benigno “Ekin” R. Caniga Jr. gets another merit for being one of the top awardees in the 3rd Philippine Martial Arts Hall-of-Fame on April 17 in Baguio City.

   Headed by executive director Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas, the annual rites aims to give recognition to exemplary martial arts teachers and practitioners in the Philippines and around the world.

On its third edition, the Philippine Martial Arts Hall-of-Fame will honor the top 10  Filipino martial artists who have been chosen out of more than 30 candidates.

Master Ekin is one of the three Cebuano martial arts pillars that will be inducted together with Grandmasters Cacoy and Chuck Canete of arnis.

 “I am grateful and humbled by this (being a Hall-of-Famer). This inspires me more to strive for the development of martial arts and putting Cebu in the map of mixed martial arts,” said Master Ekin.

Since he started his interest in martial arts at an early age of 11 years old, Master Ekin has became the patron of kickboxing and mixed martial arts in Cebu.

He learned everything directly from the originator of Yaw-Yan, Grandmaster Napoleon Fernandez or "Master Nap",

After his stint in the Philippine kickboxing team in the early 90’s, Master Ekin achieved his goal of building the Yaw-Yan ArDigma gym, which was eventually became the factory of elite Cebuano fighters in the country.

“I really love martial arts even at a young age and it became my calling as I grow old,” he said. “I had a vision first of having my own gym and I am glad that I achieved it as my way in producing fighters and instill to them discipline inside and outside the ring.”

Aside from the famed Yaw-Yan ArDigma Gym, the first MMA academy in Cebu, Master Ekin has also spread the pure Filipino martial arts in different parts of the world including in Los Angeles, Detroit, France and in the United Kingdom.

In his goal of developing elite Cebuano fighters, Caniga has organized numerous kickboxing and MMA tournaments.

His son Johnlery Ian Caniga, now based in the United States, also brought pride and honor to the country by becoming the first Filipino Grand Champion of Navarro's Mixed Martial Arts Championships two years ago in the US.

 Martial arts is really in the bloodline of Master Ekin as his 10-year old nephew Ken Caniga is slowly making name for himself being a young kickboxing prospect.  Ken is a double-gold medallist in the Muay Thai event of the Batang Pinoy National finals. (FREEMAN)