00:03We are back to VTV Sports now with us live here in the studio with Janelle Dacumos and Milduwin Pastillon
00:10of the Philippine Kendo team.
00:13Good morning!
00:16Wow, we are now really excited because we are with Kendo.
00:21Now, you've both been practicing Kendo for quite some time, but this is one sport that has been recognized in
00:29the country.
00:30But with all the martial arts available, why is Kendo, Janelle?
00:35I don't know. It felt like I really wanted to do something besides Saekwondo and I really wanted to, you
00:42know, use the bamboo sword in a different way, like with a purpose, not just like fighting someone.
00:48And that's for me as well. Yeah.
00:51For myself, I wanted to do something not a mainstream sport. So I stumbled upon Kendo and then I started
00:59from there.
01:01So, they don't want mainstream.
01:03Mainstream.
01:04Yes.
01:05But, you know, the practice of Kendo is considered not just a sport but a way of life.
01:12Yes.
01:12So, what do you think of Kendo's mindset, your discipline, your discipline, your perspective, your life?
01:20For myself, I find that the discipline, your self-confidence, you know, something that you can pick up from any
01:30sport actually, especially for martial arts like Kendo.
01:33So, it's something that you can train on and off the court or in a dojo. And that's something we
01:38can bring home as well.
01:40Yes.
01:41Yes. And in Kendo, usually when your opponents, you tend to face one-on-one. So, there's no like teams
01:47or anything. You're just being on yourself.
01:49And it's quite near when you fight someone in Kendo. And it shows how you actually show yourself if you
01:57get nervous or how you handle pressure,
01:58which also affects, like, in different aspects of your life because you tend to be more confident when you expose
02:04yourself in this sport.
02:07Yes. So, I know, partner, that this Kendo team has made history last year in Singapore, if I'm not mistaken.
02:17So, can you take us through that journey in the Asian Kendo Championship?
02:24We've been preparing for a while for the AKT. So, for us, Singapore is not new for us to train
02:32with.
02:33So, we've been friends with, you know, ASEAN countries as well. So, yung pag-prepare namin sa AKT was kind
02:40of short,
02:41pero we managed to pull through as well. And then, with a surprising result, we managed to get a third
02:46place for the males.
02:47And then, we managed to bag individuals and team events for the Fighting Spirit Awards.
02:54Ito, just out of curiosity, no?
02:57Siyempre, hindi pa masyadong mainstream nga itong Kendo. So, how it is important for you guys na makakuha ng place
03:07sa isang international tournament?
03:10I think it's important na it's also parang a way na ma-endorse or ma-advertise ang Kendo para makita
03:18ng iba na actually it exists in the Philippines.
03:21Kasi it's well-known sa Japan, but they didn't know na meron palang available na Kendo sa Pilipinas.
03:27For Janelle?
03:29I think when it comes to practicing or training for international competitions,
03:34I think it's also in the Filipino spirit that, oh, you want to present the Philippines well.
03:40You also want to, you know, show how capable the Filipinos are,
03:44especially the Filipino women in a short amount of time.
03:47And I think that's the potential in the Filipino Kendo community today.
03:51And yeah.
03:53Now for Mel, you've been practicing Kendo for about 13 years already.
03:58Yes.
03:59And you've joined a lot of international competitions,
04:02one of which itong World Kendo Championships and ASEAN meet.
04:06Ano yung pinaka mahirap na hurt the hell?
04:25It's a big step for Filipino Kendo.
04:31Na makakapunta, especially sa Europe,
04:34na nagpapaparan namin.
04:39It's a big step for this world, especially na different continents.
04:46And then for myself, one of the challenges I had,
04:52so it was a personal challenge as well.
04:54Pero in terms of improving oneself or even for the Philippine Kendo,
04:58I think it's good na we're able to adjust and adapt to a different play field,
05:04especially going to a different setup.
05:08For example, like World Kendo Championship.
05:11Now this coming day, you're preparing for a tournament.
05:14I think it's the Asia Oceania Championship.
05:17Yes.
05:17Can you tell us more about this?
05:20We are preparing for it.
05:21I don't know if I'm allowed to say it,
05:23but we hopefully get chosen and present the Philippines well
05:28and we do our best to show the spirit in Asia Oceania and Japan.
05:33So, how are you doing this in terms of training
05:38and how are your physical skills and mental toughness
05:42that's super important in Kendo?
05:44For us, of course, we have to train as much as we can.
05:49Of course, we have to look out for our health
05:51because it's important.
05:53And at the same time, because Philippines is
05:54the islands of the Philippines,
05:57we have to find ways to actually practice with each other.
06:00And we manage to pull through as well.
06:01So, in this case, we just do what we do.
06:04And then once we get to the event itself,
06:07we just do our best.
06:08This is my partner.
06:10I believe Janelle started in 2024.
06:15So, very recent, right?
06:18So, this one, Janelle,
06:20how are you able to progress so quickly?
06:23Of course, 2024, two years ago.
06:27You're pretty new, right?
06:28Yes.
06:28Pretty new.
06:30At first, when I started Kendo,
06:32I did not expect to do any kind of international sport.
06:35and I thought of myself,
06:37what would happen if I put myself outside of my comfort zone
06:40and be consistent with it?
06:42And here I am.
06:45Yes.
06:46Kay Anna naman, kay Mel.
06:48So, siyempre, from 2013,
06:52last 13 years ago, pa nag-start.
06:54So, how has your journey evolved dito sa sport?
06:59I think one of the things that's most notable
07:02is, of course, consistency because it's been too long.
07:04And, of course, as you age, of course, as women in sports,
07:08you have a lot of things to, a lot of hurdle, actually.
07:11Right?
07:12And then, of course, being able to improve,
07:15for example, character development in terms of martial arts,
07:18those are the things that we have to look out for.
07:21Now, may hinahawakan sila.
07:23Can you explain?
07:23Ano ba yan?
07:25So, this is a shinai.
07:27So, this is a bamboo sword that we use for practice.
07:30This is for the competing part of kendo.
07:33So, it's made out of bamboo.
07:36And, of course, this is what we use to hit each other.
07:38Yes.
07:40Now, I'm very curious kasi I've witnessed the training session ng kendo.
07:46Somehow ba, di ba meron kayong mga gears?
07:49Hmm.
07:50Does it still penetrate?
07:51Kasi talagang, hinihit nyo yung head eh.
07:55Um, not so much.
07:56Parang, it cushions the hip.
07:58Okay.
07:58So, we're protected naman kasi it's a protected sport.
08:03Yeah.
08:04Now, the competition will happen in Japan.
08:07Hmm.
08:07At kung saan nagmula ang kendo.
08:10And so, paano nyo pinapanatili yung inyong confidence
08:12na kayang makipagsabayan ng mga Pilipino
08:18sa isang batsa ng mga Japanese kendo-ka
08:22na na-engraved na itong sport.
08:25For us, we do what we do best, of course.
08:27We have to keep practicing.
08:28And then, what we've learned, I think, pretty much is also engraved on us.
08:33And then, we just have to show them that the Philippine spirit is with us as well.
08:39Okay.
08:40And, we also feel grateful that to have this opportunity to face Japanese kendo cast.
08:46And it also, it's like a character development that can improve the Philippine kendo in the future.
08:52And, hopefully, every, like, woman who's watching get encouraged by it.
08:56And, yes.
08:59Dr. Mel, you've been here for 13 years.
09:02Nasaan na yung Pilipinas ngayon?
09:03Ano na yung status na din sa kendo?
09:06Are we progressing?
09:07Do you think na, in terms of level of skills, ang layo na natin?
09:12I think we've pretty much reached very far na.
09:15Kasi, from an unknown country joining into sports like this.
09:19Especially, it's not from, of course, our origin.
09:22And then, for women as well, trying out this sport.
09:25Ang layo na na natin ng Pilipinas.
09:26Kasi, it's something na actually sought out now.
09:29Na parang, oh, may kendo pala sa Pilipinas.
09:32And then, everybody wants to join na.
09:33So, in terms of, also, our involvement with international events.
09:39So, marami na rin natin na.
09:42Ito, for Mel, siyempre, coming from the AKC Championship or Tournament,
09:49Nagkaroon ka ng award, which is yung Women's Team Fighting Spirit Award.
09:54So, kasi, I realized na this kendo is a battle of fighting spirits.
10:00Talaga.
10:01Ano ka pa siya narinig.
10:03So, how much this award mean to you?
10:05I think it really solidifies what our fighting spirit is.
10:09And we're able to actually showcase it.
10:11So, getting an award is not just fortunate of us to get it,
10:16but also, it kind of let us know that we also actually have it.
10:20And we're able to show it, of course, to the ASEAN platform.
10:25Actually, sa any combat sport, especially with kendo,
10:29talagang up front and center nila itong fighting spirit.
10:32But personally, what does fighting spirit mean to you guys?
10:37Fighting spirit, based on my experiences and what I know,
10:41it's like showing your whole self or being committed to what you do in kendo
10:48and during a tournament.
10:49Because sometimes, when you are in a tournament,
10:52you tend to be nervous and you tend to kind of hide yourself.
10:56And it's quite hard, daringly, to face yourself and an opponent
11:02and do what you actually can do in a tournament.
11:07So, for myself, of course, I have to be able to adapt
11:10or use this in a daily life as well.
11:13So, that's what helps in terms of this character development.
11:18So, pagdating sa sport na to, you're able to face,
11:22like I think what Janelle mentioned,
11:24but to face what comes at you and then you're able to overcome it.
11:29And then, after that, you'll be able to improve yourself.
11:31Wow.
11:33Ito, for both of the girls, what is your dream naman
11:36for the Philippine kendo team in the future?
11:40There's so many.
11:43First of all, we want to improve our Philippine women kendo team
11:49and see the world on how women's and the Philippines kendo
11:54are capable to do in a short amount of time.
11:57Or, you know, you never know what will happen in Philippine kendo team.
12:01That's why we encourage women here in the Philippines to do kendo.
12:06Yeah.
12:07For myself, I think it's the same.
12:09So, more improvement, of course, reach what we can reach.
12:13And then, of course, eventually we'll reach, you know, the top if ever.
12:17But, of course, we want to keep progressing
12:19and, of course, encourage more women to join.
12:23It's not a scary sport.
12:24It's not a scary sport.
12:26It's not a scary sport.
12:26Finally, can you invite our viewers to try kendo
12:30or if you want to go to the end, this is your floor.
12:34We encourage Philippine women here in the Philippines.
12:38It's really an interesting sport.
12:40And us women, we hurdle a lot here in our lives.
12:44And showing in kendo where you can show your discipline, your respect, and your honesty,
12:50and many character developments can hurdle yourself to be more confident
12:55and more improve in your life.
12:58And it's really a way of life in kendo.
13:01And, yes.
13:03Yeah.
13:04I encourage everyone to join.
13:06And, of course, you'll see us there, if you will.
13:09There's a lot of kendo clubs in the Philippines.
13:11So, if you'd like to visit, you can visit, of course, UKFP website.
13:16And you can find all the clubs that are available in the Philippines.
13:19And if not, maybe you don't know.
13:20You have a friend, actually, who does kendo.
13:24Thank you so much.
13:26Thank you so much.
13:26Thank you so much.
13:27Thank you so much.
13:27Thank you so much.
13:28It's been a pleasure.
13:30And good luck, huh.
13:31Good luck.
13:32You have to have here in Asia-Australia Championships.
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