04 September 2021-Ambassador Maria Teresita C. Daza and spouse Mr. David Jose John Daza together with the Embassy´s officer, staff and local hires held a self defense and wellnes activity with Chilean martial arts instructors-Lakan Guro Gabriel Erbs and Lakan Guro Victor Pino at the Philippine Embassy Chancery on 04 September 2021.

Gabriel spoke of the origins and philosopy of Kali and demonstrated basic techniques and movements and cited similar movements and steps in the Kali that were adopted from Philippine folk dances including tinikling, maglalatik and pandanggo sa ilaw. All Embassy participants worked in pairs with a pair of yantok (bamboo sticks) and took turns assuming the role of aggressor/victim.

Kali is a Cebuano word (dagger), arnis, comes from a spanish word (arnes) for armor or weapon, or eskrima, from the spanish word esgrima (fencing). All are umbrella terms to refer to the Filipino martial arts (FMA)-which give emphasis to weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives, bladed weapons, improvised weapons as well as open hand techniques without weapons. END