Russian House marks 10th year with Filipino martial arts training camp in Cebu

Arnis grandmaster Rodel Dagooc of the Dagooc Arnis System shows his stuff at the training demonstration held at Fort San Pedro. |DOT-7 photo

CEBU CITY — Filipino martial arts take center stage at the ongoing training camp being held in Cebu.

“We started with four grandmasters. Now we have become International,” said organizer and guro Alexander Pisarkin of Russian House in the Philippines.

The group was established in the Philippines 10 years ago and has since been holding annual training camps in different areas like Tagaytay and others.

The training camp has drawn around 40 participants, including grandmasters and enthusiasts from Russia, the United States, Australia, Canada, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, China, Germany and France.

The 10th International Filipino Martial Arts Training Camp is organized by Russian House in the Philippines, in collaboration with the Department of Tourism in Central Visayas.

“We’re learning different styles of Filipino martial arts as well as Indonesia and Brunei silat,” Pisarkin said. 

He noted that Filipino martial arts had gained popularity around the world.

Arnis, also known as eskrima, has also a following in Cebu and has several groups headed by grandmasters based here. The Doce Pares, headed by supreme grandmaster Dionisio Canete, is among these groups.

The training camp started February 1 and will end on February 14. 

Pisarkin said they would be returning to Central Visayas next year when they would hold the training camp in Dumaguete City.

The first four days were conducted at Bayfront Hotel and Fort San Pedro in Cebu City.

The training camp has moved to San Francisco town, Camotes Island Wednesday where the participants will stay until February 13./Irene R. Sino Cruz