On April 18, 2007 I set out for my first trip to the Philippines. It didnt start out well with my first flight being cancelled because they LOST the flight crew. How the heck do you lose a flight crew? After a little creative booking I was on my way to San Francisco to meet up with PG Rick Manglinong and his group. Over 25+ hours later, we arrived in Manila.
Our first two days were spent site seeing and souvenir shopping for our families. Our third day we were up at 4AM to catch a flight to the province of Negros Occidental for the IPMAF Training Camp. From the airport we had a very exciting trip to the Presas resort. It seemed that the traffic rules were more of a suggestion than a rule, and our drivers seemed to be racing to see who could get to our destination first. Fortunately being in the back of the bus, I didnt get to see many of the close calls we actually had. Although I realized very quickly that you needed to keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle to prevent them from being taken off by passing vehicles.
After arriving at the camp, the first job was to figure out which of the bungalows we would stay in. Our group was very lucky to find one right on the beach with a nice cool breeze and a stellar view of the water. Seeing that it was still Sunday, there were no planned activities, so I took this time to meet some of my fellow campers as well as walking the beach that my teacher (the late Grandmaster Remy Presas) grew up on.
I was told that this was the largest camp that IPMAF hosted in the Philippines. I met people from Australia, Poland, Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Israel, Philippines as well as my home country, the United States. Everyone was very friendly and helpful during this camp. At the end of the first night of training, Grandmaster Ernesto Presas initiated the FMA Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Many people were honored from our past as well as our present. Three of us (PG Myrlino Hufana, PG Rick Manglinong and I) who had studied with GM Ernestos late brother were honored with the Kampilan Award. PG Manglinong and I were awarded 9th degree black belts in Kombatan and I was shocked when GM Ernesto introduced us as Grandmaster Manglinong and Grandmaster Hartman.
During that evening, I had the pleasure of meeting the youngest of the Presas brothers GM Roberto. Unfortunately I did not have the opportunity to spend much time with him, but it was very obviously to me as to how much he and his brother cared for each other.
There was much activity during the camp. We had three training sessions throughout the day. In between sessions, people were working out, and I actually ended up teaching private lessons on how Balintawak relates to Modern Arnis to the group from Poland. Throughout all of this, GM Ernesto was busy filming his movie. Unfortunately since I only spent one weekend at the camp, I was unable to be worked into the movie, but many of the top instructors, including my traveling companion PG Manglinong, had fairly large parts in the movie. I am not going to ruin the surprise about the story line, but I will say this, there is plenty of stick fighting, so much that they were shooting until past 1AM banging sticks.
The training was very good and during my stay at camp, I only missed two sessions, both of which were spent visiting GM Remys grave. The first visit was with GMs Simba and Manglinong. This visit affected me more than I anticipated. I had visited my own family members many times in their respective cemeteries, but never had such intense emotions.
At the end of that week, I flew back to Manila with Michael (GM Ernestos son-in-law). The last few days of my trip were used to do last minute shopping for those back home as well as meeting with the masters in Rizal Park. One person I went to visit surprised me when I went to his training area. This was Rodel Dagooc. I had met him a few years prior in the States while he was touring with the Presas children. I was trying to be inconspicuous while watching his training session. Of course, this didnt work. Not only do I not have a tan, I am fairly taller than most of the people who were there that day. When Rodel saw me, he stopped his class, introduced me as one of the American datus, and even had me do a demonstration on the WMAA disarming template.
There were many, many other experiences I had during my trip. Trying to address them all here would simply not do them justice. The people, the country, my whole trip was a life altering experience. I valued this trip so much that in 2009, GM Manglinong and I will be bringing our WMAA family to the Philippines.
In closing, I would like to thank all of those whom I mentioned as well as those whom I did not for their hospitality during my stay.
Our first two days were spent site seeing and souvenir shopping for our families. Our third day we were up at 4AM to catch a flight to the province of Negros Occidental for the IPMAF Training Camp. From the airport we had a very exciting trip to the Presas resort. It seemed that the traffic rules were more of a suggestion than a rule, and our drivers seemed to be racing to see who could get to our destination first. Fortunately being in the back of the bus, I didnt get to see many of the close calls we actually had. Although I realized very quickly that you needed to keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle to prevent them from being taken off by passing vehicles.
After arriving at the camp, the first job was to figure out which of the bungalows we would stay in. Our group was very lucky to find one right on the beach with a nice cool breeze and a stellar view of the water. Seeing that it was still Sunday, there were no planned activities, so I took this time to meet some of my fellow campers as well as walking the beach that my teacher (the late Grandmaster Remy Presas) grew up on.
I was told that this was the largest camp that IPMAF hosted in the Philippines. I met people from Australia, Poland, Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Israel, Philippines as well as my home country, the United States. Everyone was very friendly and helpful during this camp. At the end of the first night of training, Grandmaster Ernesto Presas initiated the FMA Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Many people were honored from our past as well as our present. Three of us (PG Myrlino Hufana, PG Rick Manglinong and I) who had studied with GM Ernestos late brother were honored with the Kampilan Award. PG Manglinong and I were awarded 9th degree black belts in Kombatan and I was shocked when GM Ernesto introduced us as Grandmaster Manglinong and Grandmaster Hartman.
During that evening, I had the pleasure of meeting the youngest of the Presas brothers GM Roberto. Unfortunately I did not have the opportunity to spend much time with him, but it was very obviously to me as to how much he and his brother cared for each other.
There was much activity during the camp. We had three training sessions throughout the day. In between sessions, people were working out, and I actually ended up teaching private lessons on how Balintawak relates to Modern Arnis to the group from Poland. Throughout all of this, GM Ernesto was busy filming his movie. Unfortunately since I only spent one weekend at the camp, I was unable to be worked into the movie, but many of the top instructors, including my traveling companion PG Manglinong, had fairly large parts in the movie. I am not going to ruin the surprise about the story line, but I will say this, there is plenty of stick fighting, so much that they were shooting until past 1AM banging sticks.
The training was very good and during my stay at camp, I only missed two sessions, both of which were spent visiting GM Remys grave. The first visit was with GMs Simba and Manglinong. This visit affected me more than I anticipated. I had visited my own family members many times in their respective cemeteries, but never had such intense emotions.
At the end of that week, I flew back to Manila with Michael (GM Ernestos son-in-law). The last few days of my trip were used to do last minute shopping for those back home as well as meeting with the masters in Rizal Park. One person I went to visit surprised me when I went to his training area. This was Rodel Dagooc. I had met him a few years prior in the States while he was touring with the Presas children. I was trying to be inconspicuous while watching his training session. Of course, this didnt work. Not only do I not have a tan, I am fairly taller than most of the people who were there that day. When Rodel saw me, he stopped his class, introduced me as one of the American datus, and even had me do a demonstration on the WMAA disarming template.
There were many, many other experiences I had during my trip. Trying to address them all here would simply not do them justice. The people, the country, my whole trip was a life altering experience. I valued this trip so much that in 2009, GM Manglinong and I will be bringing our WMAA family to the Philippines.
In closing, I would like to thank all of those whom I mentioned as well as those whom I did not for their hospitality during my stay.
