CEBU, Philippines — Over 50 eskrima masters from all over the world are in the Queen City of the South for the Doce Pares Training Camp 2023 slated on October 19-21 at the Bantayan Hall of Bayfront Hotel-North Reclamation.
Aside from host Philippines, the participants of the three-day event billed as “Tapok-Tapok Eskrimador Doce Pares Multi-Style System” come from the United States, Australia, Hungary, Germany, and United Kingdom.
It is organized by Doce Pares President, Supreme Grandmaster Arnulfo “Dong” Cuesta, together with his vice president Grandmaster Eric Mosqueda,the latter’s younger brother GM Erwin Mosqueda, who founded Doce Pares Los Angeles way back in 2004, and Philippine Eskrima Kali-Arnis Federation (PEKAF) Vice President Master Gerald Cañete.
“We are holding this activity because we want to further promote and enhance our curriculum as a multi-style system of Doce Pares,” said the New Jersey-based Cuesta, who took over the reins of Doce Pares after the death of Supreme Grandmaster Atty. Dionisio “Diony” Cañete, the revered leader of the global organization, two years ago.
A Cebu Sports Hall of Famer, Diony Cañete was largely responsible not only for developing but also innovating this uniquely Cebuano stick-fighting art until it evolved as one of the highly respected and most popular martial arts in the world with 40-plus member countries from both hemispheres of the globe.
And Cuesta yearns to keep the fire of SGM Diony’s legacy burning, making sure his name will never be forgotten for generations to come.
“Right now, there are a lot of Doce Pares clubs all over the world. Through this endeavor, we hope to create a unified system as envisioned by the late SGM Diony Cañete during his lifetime,” Cuesta continued. “In this manner, we are also keeping his legacy alive, which is really our main purpose in coming up with this undertaking.”
For his part, GM Erwin Mosqueda, one of SGM Diony’s brightest students, is doubly happy as the event is also in line with the 19th anniversary celebration of Doce Pares LA.
“We are here not only to introduce new techniques and strengthen our curriculum but also get to know each other well and along the way foster fellowship and camaraderie as one big Doce Pares family. This is also the best way we know to remember the life and works of SGM Diony, who was a great pillar of Doce Pares,” Mosqueda said.