Cacoy Doce Pares gears up for 82nd anniversary and the ‘Grand Gathering’

CEBU, Philippines - The Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima World Federation (CDPEWF) of Supreme Grandmaster Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete held its annual general membership meeting last December 30 at its main headquarters in C. Padilla Street, this city.

During the event, a new set of Doce Pares officers for 2014 were elected and for the 25th year, SGM Cacoy was unanimously elected president.

Some of the important topics taken up were the forthcoming 82nd founding anniversary of Doce Pares, the oldest eskrima organization in Cebu founded by the Cañete brothers and the Saavedras in 1932, and the CDPEWF's biggest event for this year, the 2014 Grand Gathering, which will also serve as a fund-raiser for the families affected by super typhoon Yolanda.

It was learned from SGM Cacoy that the foundation anniversary will be held on January 11. It will be graced by Fil-Am Grandmaster Richard Bustillo, founder of the International Martial Arts and Boxing (IMB) Academy based in Los Angeles, California.

Bustillo, a Jeet Kune Do student of the legendary martial artist and actor Bruce Lee, will serve as the guest speaker as well as the inducting officer of the newly-elected officials of Cacoy Doce Pares.

Aside from Bustillo, seven other foreign eskrimadors are expected to add glitz to the special occasion such as GM Anton St. James and Louis Tandoh of United Kingdom, Curt Jablin and Mike harris of USA, Deo Avila and the newlyweds Master Craig Ames and Amika of Australia.

According to Cacoy, a number of eskrima enthusiasts and practitioners from Reunion Island in France will also be arriving in Cebu this month for a series of trainings at the Dacoy Doce Pares gym.  (FREEMAN)