Master Benigno “Ekin” Caniga Jr. along with guest speaker Congressman Monsour Del Rosario during the awards night.
/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
CEBU’s Yaw-Yan Ardigma Martial Arts Federation, Inc. was named the “Organization of the Year” Monday night during the 4th Philippine Martial Arts Hall of Fame Awards at the Makati Sports Club in Makati City.
Yaw-Yan Ardigma of Master Benigno ‘Ekin’ Caniga Jr. was cited for its big role in developing the sport of kickboxing and mixed martial arts not only in Cebu but in the Visayas.
It is considered as the premier MMA promotion in Region 7 with its Ground and Pound series, the region’s first professional MMA tournament and Cebu Extreme Fight League, an amateur MMA series.
Aside from spearheading MMA and kickboxing tournaments, Yaw-Yan Ardigma is also working hand in hand with Cebu City Sports Commission for the city’s MMA and Muay Thai grassroots program.
“We are humbled and honored by this award. This award is for the Yaw-Yan Ardigma family,” said Master Ekin who was inducted into the Philippine Martial Arts Hall of Fame two years ago.
“This is a team effort. I give credit to the students, instructors and to the Cebu media who were nonstop in their support. This will serve as a big inspiration for me to strive harder to help in the advancement of martial arts not only in Cebu but in the whole Visayas,” Master Ekin said.
Aside from Yaw-Yan Ardigma, three other Cebuano martial artists — all arnisadors — also received awards including Grandmaster Chuck Canete with his “Grandmaster Lifetime Achievement Award”, Grandmaster John Mac who was named “Distinguished Martial Artist of the Year” and Grandmaster Panto Canete Flores with his “Rubi Lifetime Achievement Award”.
The awardees were nominated by their followers and were chosen based on their work ethics and dedication to martial arts.