Grandmaster Ernesto
A. Presas Sr. was born in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental along the coast,
on May 20, 1945. At age 8 he began his Martial Arts training under his
father, Jose Presas, a well known escrima practitioner at that time.
Grandmaster Ernesto
has been an athlete in his college years having participated in various
sports. His training in the Martial Arts is eclectic having also studied
numerous styles. Among them Judo, Ju jutsu, Karate, Balisong as well as
other forms of weaponry like Sai, Tonfa, Kendo, Bo Jitsu. He is a Lakan
Sampu (10th Dan) in Arnis and Mano Mano (hand to hand) and holds a Lakan
Walo (8th Dan) in Philippine Weaponry.
The Philippine
arts was slowly dying out due to numerous reasons. One being oppression
by the Spanish and so it went underground. The arts learnt in secret and
the movements put into folk dances. Another was that the Philippine people
were influenced by many different cultures, including the Martial Arts,
and as such many practice foreign arts more so than their own. Also many
of the classical Filipino arts were not too appealing to foreigners (and
Pilipinos) living in our modern time. By that I mean by the way they trained
(brutal) because one has to realize that it meant their lives, having had
to protect their land from foreign invaders.
So having realize
the classical arts losing its appeals therefore slowly dying, he modernized
the native arts into an effective fighting system that is appealing to
Martial Arts students living in our modern society. His dream to re-introduce
his native arts that is part of Philippine history and culture was coming
to fruition.
In 1970 he began
to teach the Filipino Martial Arts in the University of the Philippines
and Lyceum of the Philippines. Later other classes expanded to the University
of Santo Tomas, Central Colleges of the Philippines, the Far Eastern Military
Academy, Philippine National Police Academy and the Philippines Air Force
Officer`s School.
Also in 1970
he was invited to Japan at ``Expo `70`` to demonstrate Arnis. He quickly
earned the respect of many of the Japanesse Masters who called his Art
Filipino Kendo.
After returning
home, with the help of his friend Grandmaster Frederico Lazo, he opened
his first club. Later Grandmaster Ernesto formed the Modern Arnis Association
of the Philippines International and ARJUKEN (which stands for Arnis, Jujutsu,
Kendo) Karate Association to formally spread the Art within the Philippines.
In 1975 he founded
the International Philippine Martial Arts Federation (IPMAF) and began
to spread the Filipino Art to the outside world. In time his Arnis Presas
Style and techniques became widely accepted and adopted by countries in
Europe, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, Saudi Arabia and Puerto rico.
To his credits
he has also published numerous books, videos.
Been on the cover of Inside Kung Fu with the title "Ernesto Presas: The
Father of Mano-Mano." of which he is the creator of, having developed it
after over 30 years of hard research into the Filipino Martial Arts.
At present time
the Grandmaster travels the world teaching seminars to spread his art.
Also many has come to the Philippines to take advance lessons from him.
