President Gloria Arroyo officially signed REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9850 “An Act declaring Arnis as the National Martial Art and Sport of the Philippines“ on December 11, 2009. According to Mr.Raymond Velayo, ARNIS PHILIPPINES President, the law will preserve part of our heritage and will instill in the minds of our people the sense of nationalism, patriotism, national unity and identity.
It was Arnis Philippines headed by President Velayo who painstakingly lobbied for the approval of the Bill in both houses of Congress since the time of former Senator Orly Mercado in 1995, the late Senator Robert Barbers and Cong. Miguel Zubiri in 2001 until its passage into law by action star turned Senator Lito Lapid, Senators Miguel Zubiri, Mar Roxas, Richard Gordon, Ramon Revilla, Jr., Aquilino Pimentel, Jr., Congressmen Arthur Pingoy, Jr., Pryde Henry Teves, Cesar Jalosjos, Nanette Castelo Daza and Narciso Santiago III with the help of ARNIS PHILIPPINES Directors Servillano Padiz, Jr. (first President of Sepak-takraw and father of Sepak-takraw of the Philippines), Ramon Dizon (Businessman/ Sportsman), Medardo Quiambao (Businessman/Sportsman), Richmond Velayo (Jeweler/ Sportsman).
The law mandates Arnis as a physical education course for the DepEd and will be one of its priorities come 2010 Palarong Pambansa according to Cong. Teves. According to Mr. Velayo, Arnis is being practiced in all five clusters of the Philippine Olympic Festival (POF) and in all 17 regions in the Palarong Pambansa, the National-based Sports Program promulgated by the Department of Education, all in coordination with the ARNIS PHILIPPINES, 33rd Official Member of Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and recognized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
ARNIS PHILIPPINES has successfully lobbied for the inclusion of Arnis in the last 1991 & 2005 SEAGAMES. Now it would be easier to lobby for its inclusion in all international sports events like SEAGAMES, ASIAN GAMES, and ultimately, the OLYMPICS. Mr. Velayo expects more support from all sectors both public and private.
President Raymond Velayo, ARNIS PHILIPPINES Board of Directors Medardo Quiambao and Ramon Dizon were paying a courtesy call to the Authors of Arnis Bill at the House of Representatives in Q.C. The Board of Directors of ARNIS PHILIPPINES congratulated and handed out Presidential Citations for having demonstrated their nationalism and patriotism by sponsoring and having it approved in the Halls of Congress of the Republic of the Philippines a REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9850 “An Act declaring Arnis as the National Martial Art and Sport of the Philippines”.
(Above photo standing from L-R): ARPI Dir. Ramon Dizon, Rep. Arthur Pingoy, Pres. Raymond Velayo, Rep. Pryde Henry Teves, and ARPI Dir. Medardo Quiambao. Below photo with Rep. Cesar Jalosjos. (Sponsors not in photo are Rep. Nanette Castelo Daza and Rep. Narciso Santiago III).
