THE TIGER OF BALINTAWAK

Profile of Dr. Evencio D. Marapao, Sr.

 

Today, only a number of martial artists did know the real people behind the propagation and the promotion of Balintawak Eskrima in their own humble way. Dr. Evencio D. Marapao, Sr. (Dr. Marapao, Pare Ben or Daddy Doc) as called by his closest friends, colleagues and selected students is one of the key in spreading this exquisite art of eskrima bringing the name of his mentor teachers Teofilo Velez (Teovel) and Atty. Jose Villasin in respect to their shared system of stick fighting.

Dr. Marapao started his stint in martial arts in the 1960’s under the tutelage of Master Maning Rivera as the Chief Instructor of Kodukan Judo. After that, he became one of the pioneer Karate instructors at the YMCA Cebu. He is a Certified 5th Dan Blackbelt of Okinawan Karate style before he focused to study the arnis/eskrima by participating the nightly workouts done at the club owned by Mr. Velez located in Pari-an Cebu. He studied Balintawak eskrima ahead among the several arnis masters of today to mention Bobby Taboada, Nene Gaabucayan, Nick Elizar, Bobby Tabimina, Dr. Abraham Zerna, Winnie Dela Rosa and his late brother Romeo Dela Rosa. He remembered Chito Velez the eldest son of Teofilo Velez as the only senior practitioner in advance of him at the time while the younger siblings of Mr. Velez namely Eddie and Monie were still busy on their studies at school. Dr. Marapao is a natural left handed fighter that only Mr. Velez and Atty. Villasin can control during practice trainings to consider the complexity of handling a left handed student using the grouping method guiding him to advancement.

In result, it was more in random stick play they could muster for his training that lead him as the originator of “Palusot” Balintawak Style [a stick play in which fighters will play counter to counter directly hitting and defending any parts of the body in total speed consolidating punches, kicks, push and pulling, tripping or sweeping, buttings and combat disarming]. Thru this kind of hard trainings, Dr. Marapao has developed a method tested to restrain anyone who wished to try Balintawak at the club during their nightly practices. He will not hesitate to hurt his opponents if necessary.

Dr. Marapao is friendly and easygoing colleague, quick to grasp ideas relative to self preservation. As he always share the importance of Speed, Ability and the value of Aggression to his students towards their opponents in order to always get a positive result in engaging a fight. He is a devoted Balintawak combatant, a brilliant Karate and Arnis Instructor and always loyal to his only mentors (Velez and Villasin). He is one of the pillars during the launching creation of the first Teovel’s Balintawak club way back in the years 1977-78 in Lapulapu City YMCA in time when he was assigned as the Executive Director.

At present, Dr. Marapao still continued to impart the teachings of Teovel’s Balintawak in a humble club of the KGB-MAGGS (Kritters Group Balintawak-Marapao Aggression System) with the assistance of his new generation of young masters of the art.

-K2T1