a summer experience of filipino martial arts in tagbilaran, bohol

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i remember the first time practicing kali with gura michelle bautista at pusod in berkeley many years ago. i fumbled and fumbled and layed down the sticks. this year in a recent reunion with ken ingram, a fellow collegemate, i found out that he not just practices but taught escrima. i was introduced to  a couple of east bay area visayan style escrimadores under Maestro Sonny Lumpad. this time around, i felt more comfortable with the sticks, of course, i still fumble, a lot. escrima or arnis is not easy. get ready to have pain, bruises and get hit. feel the pain.

‘a warrior takes peace and offers it first’ – wehelu peacemaker

upon my visit in bohol, my dad drove and accompanied me to university of bohol to inquire about escrima classes, we were directed to go behind KofC where a fitness gym was located. i met Sensei Sonny Alvarez and Sensei Jing Jing DosDos. I registered for classes. The first day of class,  i found out that i was the oldest even amongst the senseis but i loved it.  right after this time, spontaneously, my parents decided to leave the island for a vacation but left with stern instructions with my former yaya not to leave me alone; Nang Dading took care of my sisters and i when we were babes; she is in her 60’s now. Bernarda Baobao aka Nang Dading went with me to the escrima classes as she did not want to get my mom upset. As we boarded a full jeepney and there were no seats left, Yaya Dading insisted i sit on her lap! mind you, i’m bigger than my yaya. bless her soul because once again i felt like a baby on her lap (just imagine a mini-giant me sitting on a kid-size adult) omg! i felt like a giant hovering everyone inside the jeepney, i got a lot of stares. nonetheless, we enjoyed and her legs survived my weight. we arrived early. the gym also had a bowling alley; the bowling balls looked like coconuts! there were many inside that were playing ping pong and weightlifting. it was an honor and a delight to spar with Master Dominico Chatto Jr aka Master Jun during one of the practice sessions; that was my one of my favorite sparring moments in bohol. m bowing out with respect.