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JOJO FURISCAL IS ARNIS CHAMP

Perhaps except for his family, close kins, and friends – most Buluseños do not know or haven’t heard about Juan E. Furiscal, Jr. Jojo, as he is more popolarly known to those close to him, is a true-blooded Buluseño whom the people of Bulusan should be proud of.

                Unknown to most Buluseños, Jojo has been bringin home honors not only to Bulusan but to the entire country as well by way of the several gold medals he has been reaping since he started participating in the various Worl Eskrima-Kali Arnis Championships here and abroad.

                Jojo started his career in the field of arnis when he joined the Samahan ng Arnis ng Muntinlupa in 1990 at age 11. They were trained for the competition by Mr. Reynan Bong Cañete of the Cebu-based Doce Pares, a member of the World Eskrima-Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF).

                He had his baptism of fire at age 15 when he joined the championship games in 1994 at the De La Zalle-Zobel Gymnasium in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City.  In this competition which was participated in by 18 countries, he won a gold medal in the Group Forms category.

                In 1996, he won 3 gold medals in three categories when he competed for his second championship series held in Carlton, USA.

                1n 1998, for his third attempt, he got two golds and a silver in two categories.

                He repeated the same feat in 2000 when he competed in Cebu City.

                In his fourth game last June, he won again 3 gold medals in 3 categories.   A total of 26 countries were represented in the said competition.

                Jojo’s team is now preparing for the next competition scheduled sometime next year in Australia where more than 20 countries are expected to participate.

                Arnis is an ancient Filipino art of self-defense  with the use of one or two 29-inch sticks.  It has been practised by the natives long before the Spanish conquistadores reached Philippine soil.  It is said that it was Lapu-lapu who introduced arnis to the world otherwise known as eskrima or kali when he engaged Magellan in the historic Battle of Mactan.

                The World Eskrima Kali Federation of which Jojo’s group is a member has 35 member-countries all over the world.

                Jojo is the son of the late Juan Furiscal, Sr. of Barangay Dapdap and the former Paz Emberga of Barangay San Francisco, both of Bulusan.  A computer technician graduate from the International Electronic Institute in Muntinlupa City, he is with the Philippine Navy Arnis Team where he is also employed as a seaman. On Sundays, he trains security guards and high school students from different schools.

                He is married to the former Girlie Dominquil with whom he has a three-year old daughter.

                For those interested to learn the art of arnis for their own personal protection, they may get in touch with Jojo at telephone no. 800-5815. £

Vol. XVI No.4 (August  - September 2004)

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