Founders

 

Master Guru Melecio O. Balberde

Guru Melecio O. Balberde fondly called “Meling” by his family and friends was born on May 24, 1957 in Cabatuan, Iloilo. He is married to Melba Balberde (nee Melba Ceballos) andblessed with 3 children. He started learning Arnis in 1977 under his instructor and very close friend, Andrew Obon, a half-Filipino and half-Malaysian. He studied Arnis with him for a period of 7 years. Andrew was an expert in Balintawak Arnis style and a black belt in the Art of Tang Soo Do. They both studied hand to hand combat and knife defense under a very proficient instructor, Carmilino Reliesiba in Barrio Obrero, Iloilo City for more than a year.

In 1981, Guro Mel was employed as a Secondary School Teacher at Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School, Cabatuan, Iloilo. In that school, he continued to practice Arnis and engaged in giving Arnis demonstrations during cultural presentations in their school/municipality. He also taught Balintawak Arnis to some people who were interested in learning the art. After practicing the Balintawak style of Arnis founded by Grand Master Venancio Bacon for several years, Mel also studied the other styles of arnis, He studied Modern Arnis Under his Co-teacher Valentin Sujede and also under Master Cristino Vasquez. He is also very fortunate that he was able to learn the Traditional Arnis style of WEDO under Master Frank Sobrino- the founder of WEDOSCAMAI. He also studied the traditional arnis style of Master Gaudencio Cortez of Lutac, Cabatuan, Iloilo.

In 1990 he was designated as trainer and coach of boxing by the Cabatuan Amateur Boxing Association for more than 10 years and also a coach and trainer of Taekwondo Team of the Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School for 5 years.

In 2006, Arnis was included as one of the combative sports played in the Palarong Pambansa by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports. He then organized the Cabatuan Arnis Club and trained students in Arnis. After three months of rigid training, his team turned out to be Champion in the Integrated Meet participated in by the different districts in the province and city of Iloilo. The CNCHS team represented the province of Iloilo in the Western Visayas Regional Athletic Association Meet held in the Province of Negros Occidental and became champion in the Anyo or form competition and the Labanan or Sparring Category. Their school then represented Western Visayas Arnis Team in the Palarong Pambansa held in Koronadal City, South Cotabato on April 22-27, 2007 and garnered silver medals despite the fact that they had only a few months of training. A few months after, He was assigned as trainer and coach of the Arnis team of Iloilo province during the 2nd Philippine Olympic Festival National Arnis championship last November 12-18, 2007 held in Manila wherein the Iloilo team became overall champion.

Guru Mel then realized that he needed to revise his Arnis style to meet the demand for Arnis Sport Competition, so he decided to create an Arnis System which combines the good techniques from other Arnis styles and other combative arts such as boxing, Aikido and other Martial Arts which he believed would contribute to the improvement of the combative and sportive aspects of the Filipino Martial Arts today.

Fortunately, he met Mr. Lino Baldevarona, who was an expert in Penjak Silat and Aikido. They became friends and shared each other’s expertise. In the course of their acquaintances, they both came up to an idea of developing an Arnis System which they named Combative and Sportive Arnis System. With the help of Mr. Ruben Gamala, a professor in the University of the Philippines, Iloilo City, they decided to form an Arnis association which they called Combative and Sportive Arnis System Association, Inc. The main objective of this association is to promote Arnis as one of the Cultural heritage of the Filipino people.

 

Guro Lino B. Baldevarona

Lino Boko Baldevarona is a faculty member of Western Visayas College of Science and Technology formerly know as ISAT(Iloilo School of Arts and Trade). He taught Fashion and Apprel subject at the same time defensive sports. An author the Book titled Learn and Play Pencak Silat an unpublished manual for defensive sports subjects.

Baldeverona, who hails from Aripdip, San Rafael, Iloilo, in the Visayas, is an education graduate and has taught arnis, pencak silat and aikido at different colleges and universities in Iloilo as well as PNP and military camp in the Visayas. He has been teaching self-defense for women in prestigious gym in the city of Iloilo.

In 2001, Baldevarona went to deferent places for competition, seminars and other activities related to martial arts. He is a traveler kind of “aikidoka” (Aikido Practitioner). He exhibited Arnis and other martial arts discipline in both print and non-print media to regain the non-rebellious image of all martial artists. He devoted his martial arts skills for the service in humanity by giving free training to the students whom he believes needs his help. His unselfish service in the community through his martial arts skills, gave him a full appreciation as he awarded as prince of happiness and a walking wisdom to other martial arts practitioners.

With his skills and enthusiasms in the field of martial arts sports, he was designated as coach of pencak team of WVCST 2004, his team won an over all champion in both sine silat (artistic category) and Tanding silat (sparing/match category). In succeeding year his team competed in national level and yet they won. In 2006, he has given another task of the school that he is connected. He is assigned as coach/trainer WVCST laboratory school Arnis and Taekwondo team. Lately he was hired as wellness instructor of St. Pauls University Iloilo teaching Self-defense. He is one of the top rank officials of Philippine Pencak Silat Association Incorparated.

Lino love to learn Arnis because it is the Filipino Martial arts. He also studied modern Arnis, And Learn the combative style of arnis with Guro Mel Balberde and also studied the style of WEDO under Master Frank Sobrino.

His name was honored because of the contribution of Wonhwado, Pencak Silat, Tong Il Moo Do, Kungfu, Karate, Taekwondo and Aikido. All of those martial arts were handed to him by his mentors in martial arts they are Vicente Belmonte, Robert Alcamfor, Danilo Batiller, Roberto Gonza, Ronaldo Villanueva, Rolando Garpa, Haji Yashir, Haji Nhor Aber Isnani, Yokumitzu Yoshiku, Charles Co, Dr. Joon Ho Seuk, Alijo Sensei, Fuentes Sensei, Fukakusa and Yamada Sheehan.

Through his never ending search for the improvement of martial arts he meet the above mentioned people not only to learn their martial arts skills but because of understanding other martial arts disciplines and to create harmony among them.