Q: Competition-wise, who do you feel have been excellent competitors in the last ten years?

A. In my honest opinion, locally, I feel the Bahala Na School has some of the most skilled point fighters. In most tournaments in Stockton, it was both the Bahala Na School and Angels Disciples who had the most active competitors, making them our biggest competition.

Like I said, in the system of point fighting they are probably the best at their game.

Q.: Is there any individual players from the Bahala Na School who you feel were exceptional?

A. They have had several in the past, but I feel in the last ten years, Dexter Labonog, was the best I have seen in the point system.

Q: I know you also ventured in other styles of tournament stick fighting with your students, what other schools have your students competed with?

A. Max Pallen promoted continuous padded stick fighting, it became our favored style of tournament fighting and we still train it today in my academy, as well as point fighting.

Q: Why do you favor continuous padded stick fighting?

A. It is a higher fight level. You have three one minute rounds and after one hit your match is not stopped. Conditioning plays a major roll in this style of fighting.

Q: Who do you feel were the best competitors in this style of tournament fighting?

A. Master Pallen developed this system of full contact. My students had the opportunity to take part in several clinics at his school in San Leandro, sometimes our students would fight from morning until evening. It was a great experience and I will always respect and remember the competitors of this era. Although Pallen's students were very good competitors, Master Pallen's sons were some of the best I have seen in the continuous padded style.

Q: What organization did your students compete with in live stick?

A. Master Alfredo Bandalan introduced me to live stick. My students liked this style because it was almost like continuous padded style, but you wore more protected gear and used a live rattan stick which was much faster.

Q: In the live stick style, who do you feel were the better competitors?

A. Locally, Master Bandalan had several good students at live stick, Master Pallen's son Jordan was very good also. My experience with the Northern Cal Escrima Association gave me the opportunity to see several escrimadors from around the world play. The majority of players were Doce Pares, but Grand Master Dionisio Canete's eighth degree students were probably some of the best, along with some fighters from Australia and Germany.

Q: I have heard your students have had a lot of success in tournament fighting in the last ten years, what is your opinion of this success?

A. It's always good to see your students win with the techniques you have taught them, but throughout the years I have seen a mutual respect built between competitors, the different systems portrayed during matches and the friendships made between schools is what has made this all worth while. The organizations and masters I have mentioned have all touched my life in a positive way. Without them, escrima sports fighting in the Stockton and the Bay Area in the last decade would have never existed.

Q: I understand that you are thinking about promoting tournaments through your association and affiliated schools. If you do, what styles of stick fighting are you going to promote?

A. I would like to promote point, continuous padded and live stick, and maybe simulated knife fighting as a specialty and forms. It is going to take a lot of work, but with so many interested students along with the support of other escrima schools, I think it could become a reality. Plus, I think it is time Angels Disciples promoted a tournament. We have supported so many these past ten years, hopefully, we can get some support when we do have one.