CEBU, Philippines — The first ever Mayor Seth Frederick Jalosjos Invitational Arnis Tournament staged last December 28-30 at the Dapitan City Cultural and Sports Center in Zamboanga del Norte was a big success.
The three-day sporting event is part of Dapitan's "Handuraw Festival" commemorating the 127th martyrdom anniversary of the country's national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.
The city government of Dapitan under the leadership of mayor Bullet Jalosjos, himself an eskrima practitioner, batted for the inclusion of arnis in the Handuraw festivities because this stick-fighting art was being taught by Rizal to his students and locals who wanted to learn the sport and for self-defense during his four-year exile in what is now the famed Heritage City.
Due to its status as an indigenous martial art with cultural significance, arnis was declared as Phl's national sport by virtue of Republic Act 9850 signed by then president Gloria Arroyo on December 11, 2009.
Deeply rooted in Philippine history, arnis has been practiced for centuries. It applies a wide range of skills including joint locks, disarming of weapons, and hand-to-hand combat. The style helps anyone become better at close combat, hand-eye coordination, reaction times, dexterity, brain function, depth perception, agility and stability, and practical weapon defense.
"It was great tournament involving a traditional Filipino martial art. The indigenous populations of the Philippines who used an assorted range of weaponry for combat and self-defense developed this kind of martial art and sport, which involved rattan, swords, daggers, and spears encompassing both simple impact and edged weapons," said Dapitan Tourism Officer Apple Marie Adasa Agolong.
"This martial art was also among the many sports activities taught by Dr. Jose Rizal to his students during his four year stay here in Dapitan with the cardinal principle to respect one's opponent as a person and as a fighter, and as a sportsman. It also teaches to remember that an opponent is a human being with a dignity as one have and worthy of respect," Agolong added.
Participated in by over a hundred young arnisadors from all over Mindanao, the well-attended inaugural tilt was made possible through the initiative of Leovemar Cris Saldon Hamoy, the head coach of PARAK SBB Arnis Team who made representations for the breakthrough undertaking to finally happen in Dapitan.
It was graced Grandmaster Efren Apresto, the Vice President of the Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (PEKAF) for Mindanao. Hamoy served as the tournament director, with coach Jeffrey Billones and coach Charity Aripal as event manager and consultant, respectively. — (FREEMAN)