00:00 It is considered the national martial arts of the Philippines,
00:04 which is also one of the most popular culture of the Filipinos in the world.
00:08 That sport was invented by a Filipino who is famous in Beijing, China.
00:14 We met him at the center of the news, Bart Fetalco.
00:18 If there is a sport that is undoubtedly Filipino, that is the Arnis.
00:28 It is also called Eskrima, the national martial arts of the Philippines,
00:32 and one of the most important culture of the Filipinos in the world.
00:37 In fact, it is also slowly becoming known in China now,
00:41 especially given by the Filipino who is famous in Beijing, Rio Zablan.
00:46 When he first went to China in 2010,
00:48 the group Rio immediately formed to teach Arnis.
00:52 Later on, the group became known because of Frank's help.
00:58 We held seminars here in China.
01:02 Of course, the goal is to share our culture, the Filipino culture,
01:07 because Arnis is our national game, national music,
01:10 and for me, this is the most important cultural contribution of the Philippines to the world.
01:15 His love for this sport is his inspiration
01:18 in writing the book "Arnis, the story of the Filipino people".
01:22 This is what our ancestors used during the times of Castile and America
01:29 to defend themselves against the enemies.
01:33 In my research, the story of Arnis is the story of each of us Filipinos.
01:41 This is the story of the love for the country,
01:45 and this is the story of the unwavering effort of the Filipinos
01:50 to celebrate and have a good future.
01:53 Now, the situation in China is slowly returning to normal
01:57 after the pandemic.
01:58 Rio's group is free to train or practice Arnis every weekend.
02:02 For me, at first, it's just for fun and for getting to know the techniques,
02:07 but the more I know it, the more I train with Rio,
02:10 I discover that there's more than just the basic techniques.
02:14 There are also many other countries in China that are interested in learning Arnis,
02:19 where the main weapon is the stick.
02:21 It is fun, and we learn about Philippine culture,
02:27 and we exercise for our physical fitness.
02:32 So it's good for a free Saturday morning.
02:38 Especially when you are in danger,
02:41 these are the skills that you need to put into practice
02:45 when you find yourself in a situation that you can't control.
02:50 So, thank you for the experience.
02:53 Of course, I also did not miss the opportunity to learn the basic techniques.
02:58 The true essence of art and strength is not to be left behind by the Filipinos,
03:05 so it is only right to take pride and share Arnis with the whole world.
03:10 Mark Vitalko for Bayan Beijing China
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