Mosqueda promoted as head instructor of US Doce Pares

Doce Pares, a world-renowned organization, had announced the promotion of Cebuano Erwin Mosqueda as the head instructor of the US Doce Pares.

Mosqueda, an 8th grade blackbelt and a three-time world champion, will supervise and oversee the training and promotions of all the Doce Pares students in the entire US and Canada.

Now based in Los Angeles, Mosqueda will see to it that all chapters and affiliated schools and clubs follow strictly the program and format of teaching as per guidelines defined and set under the five-year Doce Pares "Multi-style" Training curriculum.

The curriculum requires the students to progressively learn the various aspects of the Filipino martial arts such as all ranges of single and double stick fighting, Espada y Daga (Stick and Dagger), knife and sword fighting, empty hands, and long stick (Bangkaw).

On December 30 last year during the 73rd founding anniversary of the Doce Pares, the 37-year-old Mosqueda also received an award as "Instructor of the Decade" for his various achievements that gave honor and added prestige to the organization and for his excellent in the field of teaching and promotion not only to Doce Pares system but the Filipino martial arts as a whole.

Mosqueda first learned the art in 1980 from the top masters who included among others Grandmasters Felimon, Ciriaco, and Eulogio Cañete, although it was Grandmaster Dionisio Cañete who molded him into a highly-skilled and exceptional master of eskrima.

Mosqueda reached the apex of success when he won the junior flyweight division title during the 1st World Eskrima Kali Arnis Championship held in Cebu City on August 11-13, 1989.

On August 28-30 1994 during the 3rd world champion in Muntinlupa City, he again showed his exceptional talent when he won the bantamweight division crown in sparring and men's forms (sayaw) event.

Apart from the world diadems, he was also a national champion and several times winner in regional and Cebu tournaments.

During the past four years, Mosqueda had virtually taken over the responsibility of Grandmasters Dionisio Cañete, the supreme master of Doce Pares. He regularly travels to visit Doce Pares chapters and affiliates and to conduct seminar-workshops.

The Philippine chapter of the World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF), which is now preparing a 40-man team to participate in the 9th world championship, has already decided to tap the services of Mosqueda to handle the group's training upon their arrival in USA.

The championship is scheduled to be staged at the Disneyworld Dolphin Hotel in Orlando, Florida. As planned, the team will arrive in the US one week prior to the tournament.

Mosqueda has already arranged for the players to have matches against various Doce Pares fighters with their final tune-up fights against the powerhouse and favored USA teams.