ORIGINAL TAPADO INHERITOR/HEADMASTER TURNS 58 By: James U. Sy Jr.

Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” M. Lobrido, the 1st Generation Inheritor (Tig-subli) of Original Filipino Tapado, celebrated his 58th birthday last June 28, 2008 in conjunction with the 2nd birthday of his first grandson, Vince Russell Lobrido (June 26, 2008), at the Lobrido Rsidence, Prk. Langka, Bgry. Taloc, Bago City.

The Mamar and Lobrido Clans, relatives, friends, and members of the Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association (OFTLSFA), Inc. attended the celebration.

The celebration also marked GM Lobrido’s 48th year of studying and teaching Original Filipino Tapado, an indigenous long stick fighting art founded by his late uncle Grandmaster Romeo “Nono” C. Mamar in 1960 in Prk. Langka, Brgy. Taloc, Bago City after studying Lagas, Oido, Layaw, and Sinamak from 4 different Arnis grandmasters. Tapado derives from the Hiligaynon term Tapat, which in turn comes from Tapos “finish, end.” Contracting Tapat with the suffix do, one gets a descriptive term for the degree or gravity of being finished or put to an end. Thus, Tapado is an art designed to finish a conflict the soonest.

Lobrido was among those very first to study the art directly from the Founder, in 1960, when he was just 10. By his early teens, he was assisting his uncle in teaching students. During those times, Arnis professors had to prove their worth by personal combat and Original Filipino Tapado was not exempted. GM Mamar braved many challengers, highly skilled in their own rights, to establish his new style as a viable system. These challenge matches then were unprotected, full contact skirmishes with the only rule being one submits when he can no longer continue. GM Lobrido had, in many instances, fought in behalf of GM Mamar.

GM Mamar had designated Lobrido the Chief Instructor of his art when it was introduced and taught publicly in 1984, the same year the official governing body for the art the Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association (OFTLSFA) was founded. As Chief Instructor, Master Lobrido was second only to GM Mamar.

In 1986, GM Mamar publicly promoted his nephew to Master in Original Filipino Tapado after practicing and teaching the art for 26 yars at the West Negros College, Bacolod City. Master Lobrido did much of the teaching for GM Mamar and he is the Tapado teacher of the most prominent experts of Arnis, Karate, Kickboxing, Tang Soo Do, etc. in Negros Occidental.

The Mamar Clan formally turned over the headmastership of Original Filipino Tapado to GM Lobrido, during a simple ceremony at the funeral rites of the late Founder in February 2005 (see turnover pictures at http://oftlsfai.blogspot.com).

GM Lobrido serves as the 4th president of OFTLSFAI, having served since 2005 up to the present. GM Mamar was the 3rd president, serving from 1989 to 2005. It was under gM Lobrido’s administration that the association was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Under his admnistration, GM Lobrido had promoted 1 grandmaster, 3 Masters, 13 Senior Instructors, and 3 Junior Instructors in Original Filipino Tapado. Elmer V. Montoyo, Founder/President of the Philippine Integrated Martial Arts academy-Filipino Tang Soo Do Association (PIMAA-FTSDA), Inc., is the first to be promoted to Grandmaster in Original Filipino Tapado outside of the Mamar and Lobrido Clans. OFTLSFAI recognized are Jose “Joe” Pamilangco of Bago, Nelson G. Carmona of Bacolod, and Clodualdo “Budoy” M. Lobrido of Bago, each one having decades of experience.

Recognized Senior Instructors are Narciso "Hansy" L. Alojado, Wilson Cejas, Joeffrey S. Deriada, Rufino Fernandez, Pastor Romeo N. Gumban, Dr. Raymund Antonio A. Maguad of Murcia, Jinny J. Mamar, Romeo “Tokong” Mamar Jr., John “Jun-Jun” Maravilla, Dr. Rey Mollenido of Iloilo, Dr. Jason Rojas of Texas, Rolito A. Ruelan, and James U. Sy Jr. Junior Instructors are Jake A. Bugna, Lafayette A. Diamante, and Lorema “Bing” H. Tacsagon.

GM Lobrido had been featured in the pages of Rapid Journal, the Philippines’ one and only and longest running martial arts magazine, several times. GM Lobrido is married to Rosenda “Rose” Lobrido and is blessed with 3 daughters - Rhoda, Rose Ann, and Rubie.

For more info on Original Filipino Tapado, check http://oftlsfai.blogspot.com and http://visayanfilipinomartialarts.blogspot.com. Interested parties may contact GM Lobrido thru Alojado at 0928-7195141 or GM Montoyo at the Bacolod YMCA (5:00-7:00 P.M. TTHF, 9:00-11:00 A.M. Sat.).