The Kapisanang Mandirigma Eskrima Training Institute
Rest In Peace Master Tony Diego. Thank you for the friendship, knowledge and wisdom you shared. I hope you are now happily practicing again with your dear teacher – Grandmaster Antonio Ilustrisimo. Along with your old training buddies Master Christopher Ricketts and Punong Guro Edgar Sulite who also departed way too soon.
Love & Respect, Dino Flores
I just wanted to pass on some sad news, that being the passing of Grand Master Tony Diego of Kalis Ilustrisimo fame. He passed due to a long illness yesterday on August 25, 2014 (Philippine Time).
GM Tony Diego and Master Yuli Romo were the first students of GM Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo who formally began their training with the old battle tested Grand Master in 1977. years later along came PG Edgar G. Sulite, Master Christopher N. Ricketts and Master Rey Galang who were recognized as the 5 Pillars of Kalis Ilustrisimo and were credited with spending the most time training directly under the astute tutelage of GM Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo as well as them being credited with better organizing the Kalis Ilustrisimo system and creating its curriculum based on the movements and reactions of their teacher, “Tatang” Ilustrisimo regarding that discipline.
For us in the Lameco Eskrima System Master Tony Diego was a great influence and he was the one who really brought PG Edgar G. Sulite to Kalis Ilustrisimo and to GM Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo, basically resulting from a sparring match between PG Edgar G. Sulite and Master Tony Diego, this was a defining moment in the evolution of the Lameco Eskrima System as we know it today, simply because up until this sparring session Lameco Eskrima was comprised of only 4 major influences, those being; De Campo 1-2-3 Orehenal, Kali Pekiti-Tirsia, Modernos Largos and the Sulite Rapelon Style along with the 6 minor influences of the system. Kalis Ilustrisimo would prove to be the missing piece of the system and this was discovered during that very crucial sparring session between PG Edgar G.Sulite and Master Tony Diego so many years ago.
The result of that sparring match saw PG Edgar G. Sulite becoming a student of Kalis Ilustrisimo under GM Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo and over the years adding countless techniques, concepts and principles from Kalis Ilustrisimo to the Lameco Eskrima curriculum to strike a fine balance to the system, especially regarding the blade and dagger portion of the curriculum.
Master Tony Diego became fast friends with PG Edgar G. Sulite and remained a very close friend for the rest of Edgar`s life and was partially responsible for the International Recognition of Kalis Ilustrisimo, Bakbakan International and Lameco Eskrima International along with Master Yuli Romo, Master Christopher Ricketts, PG Edgar G. Sulite and Master Rey Galang.
After GM Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo Passed away in 1997 Master Tony Diego being the heir apparent of the system was elected by the other senior members of kalis Ilustrisimo to take control of the system. It is a shame that he has been taken from us but he was taken contributing much back to the Filipino Warrior Arts Community from which much was given him over his life time.
Rest in Peace Master Tony Diego and long live your legacy!
Photo courtesy of Arnold Noche.
This photo was taken in 1997. It was at the Dog Brothers Gathering in Hermosa Beach, California. Arnold was in town from NYC.
Some of the people in the photo: Arnold Noche, Dino Flores, Ron Balicki, Diana Inosanto, Sebastian, Al, Perla, JP, Crafty Dog, Hans Tan, Nick Papadakis, Sung Han, Felix and Dogzilla.
We had an amazing experience doing volunteer work with those great Non-Profit Community organization like SIPA, PWC and FilAm ARTS. The at risk youth positive diversion program from gangs and drugs we taught from 1997 to 2004 was a big learning experience for us all. I am proud that when government funding was low or disappeared, we didn’t let it stop us. Instead myself, Guro Arnold A. Noche and Guro Bud Balani Jr. offered adult classes at the centers at an affordable rate and used the proceeds to assist in funding the youth programs. One of the adult students even got Asics to sponsor us for a semester and we got some cases of their wrestling shoes. It was a grand adventure that took us far and wide. What more could you ask for, help a few kids out, teach a few adults some culture and still train in the art you love. All that was missing was a small paycheck for the Eskrima staff…lol.
It’s funny to think that all those non-martial artist participants who went through the program where forced to learn our Eskrima lineage and history. They were exposed to Lameco and the teacher in our lineage such as GM Ilustrisimo and his 5 Pillars (GM Tony Diego, GM Yuli Romo, GM Rey Galang, GM Christopher Ricketts and PG Edgar Sulite), GM Caballero and various other arts over the years.
Our first guest instructor at the program was none other than the legendary Grandmaster Doc Lengson – which was an incredible honor for me. Not only was GM Dr. Guillermo B. “Doc” Lengson one of Master Ricketts teachers. He was also the one who advised GM Presas to add “Modern” to Arnis. GM Lenson also advised PG Sulite to use the title” Punong Guro”. Punong Guro was the first to use this term in the Martial Arts, all others since were somehow inspired by his usage. GM Lengson was the first to feature FMA on Philippine TV. One of the TV shows had a 14 year old Master Ricketts representing Sagasa Kickboxing fighting a seasoned professional boxer. With another legend GM Roland Dantes as a judge.
Other guest instructors at our program included GM Taboada, GM Gaabucayan, GM Manaois, GM Olavides, Guro Ariel Mosses, Guro Hans Tan and half of Lameco SOG. What a journey. Maybe this is why the kids responded.
Some items of recognition for our volunteer work back in the days of seemingly limitless energy.
Members of Lameco SOG with Master Rey Galang and John Jacobo from Bakbakan New Jersey. Bakbakan Kali Seminar at the Inosanto Academy in Marina Del Rey, California.
LAWS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE (15th CONGRESS)
RA 9850
AN ACT DECLARING ARNIS AS THE NATIONAL MARTIAL ART AND
SPORT OF THE PHILIPPINES (SIGNED INTO LAW ON DECEMBER 11, 2009)
**********
The principal author and sponsor of RA 9850 is Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri. He is a dedicated Martial Artist and Eskrimador. His primary teacher since childhood is Grandmaster Christopher Ricketts, founder of Bakbakan Philippines. System that he studied under Grandmaster Ricketts include Bakbakan Sagasa Kickboxing, Ngo Cho Kung Fu and Kali Ilustrisimo. Other teachers include Bakbakan Members Grandmaster Alex Co (Ngo Cho), Punong Guro Edgar G. Sulite (Lameco Eskrima), Grandmaster Tony Diego (Kali Ilustrisimo) and Grandmaster Antonio Ilustrisimo himself.
Miguel with some of his teachers and fellow Bakbakan members.
On the cover of the “Advanced Balisong” book with one of his teachers, Punong Guro Edgar Sulite.
In 2008, Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri, at age 39, became the youngest to be elected as Senate Majority Leader since the First Congress in 1946. A veteran legislator, he served the 3rd District of Bukidnon from 1998 to 2007 and was always cited as one of the most outstanding solons in the House of Representatives. He has also maintained a perfect attendance in the Plenary Sessions for the last 12 years (4 Congresses) both as Congressman and as Senator, and including this 15th Congress.
In the 14th Congress and during his stint as Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Zubiri helped steer the Senate to a record performance of around 650 bills enacted into laws.
Sen. Migz is the principal author and sponsor of more than 20 major laws, both in the Senate and during his stint as Congressman. As a fervent advocate of clean energy, he worked for the passage of RA 9513 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 and RA 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2006, earning him the moniker Mr. Clean Energy. Among the other laws he sponsored, principally authored or co-authored are:
RA10068 – Organic Agriculture Act of 2010;
RA 9147 – Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act;
RA 10121 – Philippine Disaster Risk Management Act;
RA 9165 – Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002;
RA 9679 – the Home Development Mutual Fund Law of 2009 (Pag-IBIG Fund);
RA 9653 – the Rent Control Act of 2009;
RA 9997 – the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Act of 2009;
RA 9996 – the Mindanao Development Authority Act of 2010;
RA 9904 – the Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners’ Associations;
RA 9903 – Condonation of Penalties on Delinquent Social Security Contributions;
RA 9507 – the Socialized and Low-Cost Housing Loan Condonation Program;
RA 9850 – Declaring Arnis as the National Martial Art and Sport;
RA 9500 – UP Charter Amendments;
RA 9163 – National Service Training Program;
RA 9166 – Armed Forces of the Philippines Rate Pay Base Increase Act;
RA 10072 – the New Charter of the Philippine Red Cross;
RA 9645 – Declaring July 27 of Every Year as Araw ng Iglesia Ni Cristo and as Special Working Holiday; and
RA 9849 – Declaring Eidul Adha as a National Holiday.
He is also considered the “father” of the New Cooperative Code being the principal sponsor and author of RA 9520 or the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008.
Sen. Migz is known as a champion of environmental concerns, an advocacy he pursues in the Senate and among his top legislative agenda. In the current 15th Congress, he chairs the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. He also chairs the Committee on Cooperatives and 3 Joint Congressional Oversight Committees such as the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act; Joint Congressional Committee on Clean Air Act; and the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Cooperatives. He is also a member of 20 other Senate standing committees.
Sen. Migz is involved in concrete environmental programs such as being the founder of the Philippine Deer Foundation, a deer conservation project, and as President of the Palawan-based Katala Foundation which protects endangered wildlife species and their habitats. A trained first aider and certified rescue diver, he is a Governor of the Philippine Red Cross and active member of the Red Cross Youth Committee and Concerned Divers of the Philippines.
Senator Zubiri has published two books: the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008, and Bukidnon: The Philippine Frontier. He is a graduate of Master’s in Environment and Natural Resources Management at the University of the Philippines Open University and Bachelor of Science in Agri-Business Management at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños. He has also been conferred four Honorary or Honoris Causa Doctoral degrees by various private and state universities.
Senator Migz takes pride for being the husband to lovely Audrey; a loving father to Ma. Adriana and Juanmi; and a good son to Vice-Governor Jose Ma. Zubiri, Jr. of Bukidnon, and Victoria Fernandez-Zubiri of Libon, Albay.
From: http://www.senate.gov.ph/senators/sen_bio/zubiri_juanmiguel_bio.asp
Principal author and sponsor of RA 9850 as Senator.
In the rear there are several Eskrima tournament awards that Miguel won. In his first ever tournament which he won, it was only Punong Guro Sulite and himself who entered him on a whim. Other tournaments had Master Ricketts and Grandmaster Ilustrisimo as his Coach and corner man.
In the foreground a copy of Punong Guro Sulites book “Advanced Balising” with him as a teenager on the comer with one of his teachers.
What is the Fanged Blade Program?
-Technique Examples
–Fanged Blade
–Manaois System
–Lameco
Footwork Within Filipino Martial Arts
A Tactical Professionals’ View
Fanged Blade in Action – A Students’ Perspective
The Cultural Arts Training Foundation
The FMA Informative in talking with Lance Parvin found out that the Fanged Blade was created by Ariel Mosses and Lance Parvin to address worst-case scenarios. The program incorporates several arts and systems, mainly comprised of Filipino martial arts including: Lameco S.O.G, Kali Ilustrisimo, and Manaois Eskrima, Ninoy Cinco Teros Arnis. Based on violent, destructive, and killing strikes, Filipino ground fighting (Buno), and “uninterrupted biting and eye gouging” (Kagatin at Mangamot ng Mata) techniques are emphasized.
Fanged Blade comes under the main organization, “The Cultural Arts Training Foundation” which uses movement arts to empower those dealing with traumatic injury, PTSD, and bullying.
The programs are developed by qualified professionals with dynamic backgrounds in movement including: kinesiology, gymnastics, martial arts, dance, and yoga. Lance Parvin, Founder and Executive Director, created the organization after his own traumatic injury from a near fatal car accident left him with spine damage.
Visit www.fmainformative.info and download a copy.
Link - www.fmainformative.info/
Announcing the upcoming seminar in Honolulu, Hawaii September 13 & 14, 2014. Please check out our exciting new website at www.combatfma.com designed by humaninterestvideoproductions@gmail.com
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Lameco Eskrima SOG Los Angeles • Kali Ilustrisimo Los Angeles The Kapisanang Mandirigma Institute teaches several forms of Philippine Warrior Arts. Although they are related they are kept and taught separately in order to maintain purity and original intent of each program. LAMECO ESKRIMA SOG METHOD / LAMECO BACKYARD ESKRIMA - Lameco Eskrima - S.O.G. Method. The Fighting method of Punong Guro Edgar Sulite as taught to his "Invitation Only" group. Also known as … [Read More...]