Micah Beatriz J.

Casupanan
POL2A

Arnis has always intrigued me because it was a well-known sport when I was
in high school. But the truth is, my knowledge of this sport was limited since, aside
from the fact that it overtook the sipa as a national sport, I saw nothing extraordinary
about it. It wasn't until I went to a conference about sports festivals that I realized I
was mistaken and that there was a lot more to discover in Arnis that I could definitely
apply in my daily life.

My spirit seemed to awaken when we started our lecture on Arnis. I retrieved

my previous understanding, but it is now more in-depth because we also explored its
history and origin. Arnis is a Philippine martial art form that was developed for
self-defense. Arnis has been given various names, including kali and eskrima, and it
was present long before the Spaniards arrived in 1521. Despite the restrictions of the
Spaniards, Arnis has managed to stay alive by blending into plays or practising
behind closed doors. My favorite part of the lecture was knowing about Remy
Amador Presas' contribution, in which he developed Arnis within the Philippine
physical education system as a legitimate form of military practice and cultural
identity preservation, resulting in what is currently known as Modern Arnis.

Arnis has taught me a lot of things, including how to be more self-aware and
think properly, which is extremely important in today's world. Arnis will teach us how
to discipline ourselves and be prepared to defend oneself if there are threats in our
surroundings.