Rise of PEKAF

PHILIPPINE ESCRIMA KALI ARNIS FEDERATION
–  RECOGNIZED NATIONAL SPORTS ASSOCIATION

Arnis was declared as the Philippine National Martial Art and Sport on December 11, 2009 through Republic Act No. 9850 authored by Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri and signed into law by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

As per R.A. 9850, the official adoption of Arnis as the national martial art and sport shall be promulgated by inscribing the symbol of Arnis in the official seal of the Philippine Sports Commission and by making it as the first competition to be played by participating teams on the first day in the annual Palarong Pambansa.

The Philippine Sports Commission will be the lead agency to implement the provisions of this Act.

Despite the existence of the Arnis Law, the growth of Arnis in the Philippines has seen little improvement from its past state. This has caused clamors among numerous arnis groups and individuals that hoped that the law would pave the way for Arnis to become a national phenomenon.

In late 2016, several Arnis Grand Masters approached Sen. Migz Zubiri and broached the idea of convening an Arnis Congress which will be participated in by different Arnis clubs and organizations throughout the country. This was followed by several preparatory meetings of Arnis leaders who volunteered to help organize the Arnis Congress. The Congress was opened to all Arnis clubs and organizations, without excluding any.

On 12 January 2017, the First National Arnis Congress was convened at the Philippine Red Cross Multipurpose Hall in Mandaluyong City. The Arnis Congress was convened as a response to the cries for a more inclusive Arnis sport organization that will be non-discriminatory and more proactive in spreading the sport and martial art. It was attended by more than 200 Arnis Organizations/Clubs and around 280 Arnis Grand Masters, Masters, Instructors and Practitioners. The Arnis Congress decided to form a new Arnis Federation that will promote Arnis and assist the government agencies and sports bodies in implementing programs for Arnis. The Arnis Congress elected Sen. Migz Zubiri as its interim Chairman and authorized him to appoint and constitute the 15 member interim Board.

Senator Zubiri appointed the interim Board of Trustees of PEKAF from the “mother” and major Arnis organizations and styles in the country. The PEKAF Board was formally convened on 15 February 2017, with only 13 members then. The name of the organization was decided to be Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (PEKAF), Inc. Since February 2017, the PEKAF Board has been meeting regularly.

Later on, the Board of Trustees was completed to 15. The members of the Board came from the mother or major Arnis organizations, representing Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and the NCR, namely:

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1. Sen. Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, Chairman – Bakbakan International/Kalis Ilustrisimo, Metro Manila
2. GM Felipe “Tyke” A. Abella Jr. – Stickfighters Society Abella Eskrima Lapunti Arnis De Abanico International, Cebu City
3. GM Efren L. Apresto – Filipino Arts Modified Arnis Federation (FAMAF), Sultan Kudarat
4. Chairman Patty Jean Luna Caballero – Lightning Scientific Arnis International (LSAI), Manila
5. Master Gerald O. Cañete – Doce Pares, Cebu City
6. GM Samuel “Bambit” D. Dulay – Modern Arnis Tapi Tapi, Quezon City
7. Senior Master Richardson Gialogo – Kamao
8. GM Danilo S. Jorquia – Lapunti Arnis De Abaniko International, Cebu City
9. GM Generoso “Jun” Malte Martinada Jr. – National Arnis Association of the Philippines (NARAPHIL), Liping Maharlika, Laguna
10. GM Mario Carsonite Palazuelo – Kapatirang Doble Olisi Escrima, Davao City
11. Senior Master Bella Marie “Peachie” Baron-Saguin – Kalis Ilustrisimo, Caloocan City
12. Former Mayor Bernard “Butch” A. Sepulveda – World Eskrima Balintawak Arnis Federation (Balintawak) – Cebu Province
13. GM Rene Rosales Tongson – Classical Arnis Abaniko Tres Puntas International Federation, Cavite Province
14. Tuhon Rommel P. Tortal – Pekite Tirsia Kali International, Bacolod City
15. Mr. Ike Xavier S. Villaflores – Dumaa Eskrima International, Dumaguete City

PEKAF aims to create a more inclusive sports organization that will be non-discriminatory and more proactive in spreading the sport and martial art by supporting the various grassroots programs of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and Arnis training and coaching programs of the Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) and various local government units. Thus, PEKAF aims to seek recognition/accreditation from the abovementioned government sports agencies and the POC. In addition, PEKAF will endeavor to establish an international federation for Arnis.

On 20 July 2017, the PEKAF Board of Trustees took their Oath of Office before Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea at the Malacañang Palace in Manila. On the same day, the Installation and Oathtaking of the 28-member PEKAF Council of Elders was held at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Ermita, Manila. The PEKAF Council of Elders is an advisory body composed of respected and known Arnis Grand Masters from different Arnis organizations and styles throughout the country.

On 23 August 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued the Certificate of Incorporation of PEKAF.

Soon after, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) by virtue of a Commission Resolution No. 1606-2017 dated September 7, 2017, signed by Board Secretary Julia Llanto, PEKAF, Inc. is recognized by the PSC as the official National Sports Association (NSA) for Arnis.

On 27 November 2017, the Department of Education’s (DepEd) led Palarong Pambansa Board recognized and approved the Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (PEKAF), Inc. as the official National Sports Association (NSA) for Arnis for the Palarong Pambansa. On 14 February 2018, DepEd issued Memorandum No. 026, s. 2018 adopting PEKAF Rules to be used for the Arnis event in the Palarong Pambansa.

Last 9 February 2018, the PEKAF Board of Trustees officially approved and adopted a resolution which seeks that it become an affiliate or member of the World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF), an international Arnis organization founded by a Filipino and initiated in Cebu City. PEKAF was warmly accepted by the head and founder of WEKAF, Supreme Grand Master Dionesio Cañete as its regular member.

In just more than a year since its organization, PEKAF has been actively engaging various government agencies and local government units in the implementation of activities and events for Arnis. It has held major activities on its own or in partnership with other government agencies and private organizations/companies, among these are:

1. First PEKAF Invitational Tournament, 15 July 2017 in SM Seaside, Cebu City
2. Teachers Training in Eskrima-Arnis, July 2017, Cebu City
3. First PEKAF NCR Tournament, 5-6 August 2017 in Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City
4. Milo Little Olympics – Arnis, 24-27 August 2017 in Cebu City Sports Center and SM Seaside, Cebu City
5. First PEKAF Luzon Officiating Seminar-Workshop, 1 September 2017 at the Baguio City Hall Auditorium, Baguio City
6. First PEKAF Luzon Tournament, 2-3 September 2017 in Baguio City National High School in Baguio City
7. First PEKAF Mindanao Officiating Seminar-Workshop, 20 October 2017 in the University of Mindanao, Davao City
8. First PEKAF Mindanao Zubiri Cup, 21-22 October 2017 in the University of Mindanao, Davao City
9. First Cebu Mayor’s Cup Eskrima Tournament, 4-5 November 2017 in SM Seaside, Cebu City
10. Batang Pinoy Visayas of the PSC (using PEKAF Rules and PEKAF Officiating Officials), 13-16 November 2017 in Dumaguete City
11. 2018 PEKAF Qualifying Tournament – Mindanao Leg, 9-11 February 2018 in Zamboanga City
12. Batang Pinoy Mindanao of the PSC, 8-12 March 2018 in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental
13. 2018 PEKAF Qualifying Tournament – Visayas Leg, 20-22 April 2018 in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu

Its most recent engagement is the DepEd’s Palarong Pambansa 2018 competition held in Ilocos Sur on April 15-20, 2018 where PEKAF Rules was used and the officiating officials came from PEKAF. In support of the Philippine Sports Institute’s Arnis Clinics in various local government units, PEKAF has actively participated in these Arnis Clinics by conducting training and coaching seminars.

PEKAF has lined-up several Qualifying Tournaments, which are part of its athletes seeded-program leading to the National Championships in Manila. These will serve as the selection process for the Philippine Team who will represent the country in the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2019 should PEKAF be accredited as the National Sport Association by the POC.

1. PEKAF Qualifying Tournament Luzon Leg – May 31- June 2, 2018 in Pampanga
2. PEKAF Qualifying Tournament NCR Leg – June 2-3, 2018 in Metro Manila
3. PEKAF National Championships – 3rd/last week of June in Metro Manila

PEKAF will also conduct trainings, officiating seminars and accreditation seminars in many parts of the country. To date, PEKAF has around 50-member Arnis organizations/clubs under its wing.