Inside NARAPHIL

NARAPHIL President in USA

Dr. Leo Estepa is greeted by his relatives as he arrives from the Philippines at the George Bush International Airport in Houston, Texas.

The Pioneering students

of

Dr. Leo Estepa

Houston, Texas

Arpil 2006

"Burong Talo" from the beginning ..........

PHILMAT Official Seal

Arnis, the native art of stickfighting has its origins in the dawn of Philippine history ………… For when the Spanish conquerors came to the islands, they found the native proficient in its practice. It was then called “Kali” and was fought with bladed weapons.

Perhaps in dread of its deadly potentials, the conquerors suppressed its practice. Only a brave and resolute few succeeded in passing on its secrets to future generations. To them we owe our present knowledge of this ancient art.

"Burong Talo"

Today, arnis has advance to a level where it can hold it’s own among the martial arts of the world. Truly Filipino in origin and spirit it remains as one of our most precious legacies from the past.

The clashes of today’s canes are but echoes from a distant past .......

.......... when the cries of fighting men resounded like thunder. This is “Burong Talo” from the beginning!

The legacy left by our forebears is still fresh in the blood of today’s youth ………… and perhaps will remain in so in the generations to come.

"A PHILMAT Presentation"

(Philippine Martial Arts Troupe of NARAPHIL)

Its cultural performing arm

Greetings from NARAPHIL!

"Season of Lent"
by Manong

NARAPHIL joins the entire Christian nations for the observance of Lent. May the pictures below give us some spiritual renewal of our faith in Jesus name!

God Bless you all!

"The Holy Sacrifice"

Sacrifices has to be made in order to fulfill our dreams! These sacrifices are not just for our ownselves but for our loved-ones like what Jesus did for us! He sacrificed his life so that our sins maybe cleansed. How many more Jesus we need in order to put back ourselves into the right path???

Wake up brothers and sisters, it's time for us to reflect our misgivings and misdeeds. The young turks are watching us. What they see ..... they shall do; what they hear ....... is what they shall say! Let's show them the good things or deeds so they may multiply.

A message from us!
NARAPHIL

NARAPHIL ........ the next generation!

"Young turks graduate"
by Capt Rick Sarte

The Liping Maharlika of Bacoor, a Chapter of NARAPHIL, has recently held a commencement exercise for their members who finished their one year Basic Arnis Course inside the school of Little Angels Learning School in Aniban I Subdivision of Bacoor.

Only eighteen aspirants finished the program and hopefully it will double-up next school year. These young aspirants will also be auditioning to the PHILMAT Generation II, the cultural performing arm of NARAPHIL. With the strict guidance from their arnis masters, these young aspirants will hopefully someday become leaders of this organization.

The continuous support of their parents, the Little Angels Learning School administration and the primary sponsor (Chief Engr. Zaldie Franco) will surely attain our goal of establishing the next generation of the PHILMAT.

LM of Bacoor
"Graduation Rites"

25 March 2006
Little Angels Learning School
Aniban I Subdivision, Bacoor, Cavite

The Graduates

The graduates with thier chief instructor Rey Postrado

Ladies and gentlemen, may we have the honor of presenting you the first batch of the Liping Maharlika of Bacoor Arnis Club - "Batch Maliksi 2006". They have successfully passed the Basic Arnis Course given last February at the NARAPHIL Central Gym by Chief Engr. Zaldie Franco and Mike dela Cruz.

The graduates presenting an arnis demonstration for their parents and guests. As Dr. Leo Estepa calls them, "The NARAPHIL next generation".

As the Chief Executive Officer of the Club, I promise to produce more of this young turks for the generations to come. We shall give them all the necessary knowledge and skills so they may pass it to the next generation. We shall also build them into leaders and managers in their own field of endeavors. Our footsteps shall be theirs to follow and open new doors for an avenue of their dreams.

Receive this certificate of completion as a symbol for all the efforts you have done for the year and may it mark as the beginning of your chosen sport. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our benefactors: Chief Engr. Zaldie Franco and my wife, Christy (CEO of the Little Angels Learning School) for making this project successful.

An arnis demonstration by the two senior intructors to the delight of the graduates. Showing their skills for them to emulate and aspire. May this graduate achieve more of what we have done for arnis and NARAPHIL.

Our Congratulations!!!

"Batch Maliksi 2006"

A celebration for the women's week!

NARAPHIL Performs

for

"Women's week celebration"
15 March 2006

Pasig City Sports Gymnasium

by Capt. Rick Sarte

NARAPHIL was invited to render an arnis exhibition by the Pasig City ladies auxillary corps in commemoration of their "Women's Day Celebration" last 15 March at the City Sports Gymnasium. The Guest Speaker for the event was the City Mayors wife Mrs. Eusebio and one of the special guest for the event was Ms. Jennifer O. Gonzales, Deputy Commissioner for Foreign Filipino Immigrants Abroad under the office of the President.

Jenny, as popularly called by peers and friends, is also the current NARAPHIL Press Relation Officer. She served under five Philippine presidents as a career secretary to the Presidential Press Secretary's office. She is a foreign service graduate of the Lyceum Philippines and got numerous schorlaship grants abroad and awards.

She was the darling of the PHILMAT during her stint with it and made a lot of impact to the ladies of the troupe. She was also featured in two magazines as the "Arnis Lady" and "Lady with the Stick".


She is still very active with NARAPHIL to this date that an invitation for her speaking engagement never forgot to invite NARAPHIL for a performance of her dear beloved organization in which she grew with most of her youth.

"Program Director"

As designated Program Director, I'm also the narrator and choreographer for the arnis numbers to be performed by my team.

A weekly preparation is really not enough to hone our skills but truly realized that there is still a lot of ovehauling to do before we can fully organize again the "PHILMAT Generation II". A lot of resources is much needed to purchase and develop the different costumes that the first generation had.

Talking with some members of the Ladies Auxillary Corps in Pasig. They find it very amusing for our ladies with such skills in the art of self-defense. They are requesting for a training of some of their members after this event and hopefully it becomes one of our permanent activity again in Pasig City.

Members of the performing team waits for the cue from the Program Director to start their exhibition number. The team is headed by three senior PHILMAT members - Jun Martinada, Zaldie Franco and Ana Tuangco and supported by other instructors of NARAPHIL and the students from the PUP Arnis Varsity team.

Instructors Rey Postrado (QCMAC) and Mike dela Cruz (LM Bacoor) performs the Advance sparring.

Members of the PUP Arnis Varsity team headed by Prof. Luz Arroyo (also one of the Seniors of PHILMAT) demonstrate the different disarming techniques.

Ana performs the Maharlika corto against Rey in their number. Ana, like Jenny, is one of the PHILMAT ladies who won numerous medals in "Form" competition events. Now a housewife and a mother, her daughter (Tenten) followed her foot steps by also winning medals in another sports event - ice skating.

Other members of the PUP Arnis Varsity Team performs also the other disarming techniques.

Mike and Rey teamed-up to demonstrate the Maharlika Form #1 (Solo baston - Basic Form).

"Arnis is the most practical martial art

ever developed adapted for women"
by Jenny Gonzales