Aikido Days

Found my old site and reposting some articles there about our Aikido club. I am also updating the contents and information on that site here.

original site: aikiloilo.bravehost.com/article.htm

Sensei Francisco P. Valencia was born August 14, 1922 in Iloilo City, Philippines. He first started practicing Aikido when he was

stationed at an American base in Guam, Marianas Island. In May 23, 1965 during a rigorous examination, he recieved his Shodan certificate from Sensei David Kalama and Sensei Richard Sasaki of the Guam Aikido Dojo making him one of the first Filipino Blackbelts in the whole world. When he recieved his Shodan certificate in 1965, he became the third highest ranking instructor in the Hawaii Aiki Kwai. In 1967 he was promoted to 2nd Dan and he instructed classes in the Hawaii Aiki Kwai, the Marianas Aiki Kwai as well as the Guam Aikido Club.

During 1968, he with Sensei David Kalama and Sensei Roger Sasaki were conducting classes for about 70 members at the Asan dojo in Guam, Marianas Island. At that period he was also conducting classes for the Roxas Aikido Club. By 1970 he was already promoted to 3rd Dan or Sandan and in 1974 he was promoted to the title of 4th Dan or Yodan in japanese.

During his time in Guam, Sensei Francisco P. Valencia was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Guam Aikido Club and a practicing member of the Guam Judo Club. Much later he was offered the job of representing Aikido in the Philippines but due to the fact that it conflicted with his work in Guam he declined the offer.

When he went home in the Philippines, he taught for a short while in YMCA Iloilo and in a dojo in Mandurriao, a town in Iloilo. And in 1991, he founded the Iloilo Aikido Dojo in Villa, Iloilo.

Currently, the Iloilo Aikido Dojo which Sensei Francisco Valencia founded still thrives but has relocated to Javellana St., Jaro, Iloilo City with Ramon "Jack" Tentia, one of the few students awarded by Sensei Valencia with a Shodan title, as the head instructor due to the ailing condition of Sensei Francisco Valencia.

FMA Legacy

I was born in a rough neighborhood in the Philippines. Growing up in that neighborhood entailed living in fear and desperation which can suffocate any individuals hopes and dreams for a better life. Living there requires an attitude of constant vigilance and extreme fortitude, and all attributes that can be draining to anyone who can't cope with the constant pressure.

Lucky for me though that I had an uncle that is well known for practicing "Arnis de Mano", a Filipino martial art that is as old as the Filipino race itself. Arnis is a martial art that is characterized by the use of sticks, made from hardwood trees indigenous to the Philippine archipelago, as defensive tools or as weapons to attack an enemy.

The Arnis system has many forms and are as diverse as the 7,107 islands of the archipelago. From the single stick technique that is “Arnis de Mano”, to a double stick technique “Doble Baston”, to double handed staff-length stick techniques that is called “Largo Mano”, and stick-and-dagger technique variants called “Espada y Daga” and many others.

By learning this age-old self defense system from my uncle that emphasizes learning to use a weapon first rather than training and defending yourself empty-handed, I was endowed with a feeling of security and confidence in my actions which helped propel me out of that environment and into a better one.

Today, like my uncle did in his spare time many years ago, I also teach people this art so that they can better themselves and lead them to a hopeful future like it did to me.