Lolo Guro Isidro Pambuan
Isidro Pambuan was born in Santa Cruz, Laguna, Philippines on April 4, 1920. He began his journey in the family art after hearing stories from his grandfather of how Arnis was used in the Filipino - Spanish revolution. He trained in several Filipino martial arts with members of his mother and fathers side of the family. He also trained outside the family, with Alihandro Javier of Batangas. Lolo Guro is now in his 80s, and continues to cross-train with his friends in Santa Cruz.
Lolo Guro made two trips to the United States in the 90's and was very amazed at the popularity of the Filipino martial arts here. In the Philippines, the family arts are closed to outsiders and only a very few select persons are given the opportunity to learn the Art of Arnis.
Ama Guro Raffy Pambuan
Raffy Pambuan became interested in the martial arts as a child watching kung-fu movies and playing medieval knights with his friends in his hometown of Santa Cruz, Laguna, Philippines. At the age of ten, he began studying Okinawan and Shotokan Karate under his cousin Oyi Amoranto.
His fascination with Arnis started when he listened to his father, Lolo, tell stories of his family history. He especially liked the stories of his great grandfather, Amoranto, on his fathers side, who was Katipunan, and fought against the Spanish. It was at this time that Lolo Guro began teaching him Arnis. He also trained in Arnis with his uncle, Tatay Vincen.
When he was sixteen, Ama Guro took up boxing with his brother Frisco Pambuan, his cousin Vic Pambuan, and Digo Ramirez.
Ama Guro also trained in the Filipino martial arts outside his family with Tatay Beryo Talabis, Tatay Ikang Bukal of Cavite, P.I., and with Nestor Deresa of Magdalena, Laguna, P.I.
In 1983, Raffy Pambuan moved to Orlando, Fl. Soon after, he began training with Tatay Bo Sayoc. In 1993, He was convinced to begin teaching his family art of Pambuan Arnis. His few Guros and students are very thankful for this. In 1996, Ama Guro was inducted, and is a member of, the World Head of Family Sokeship Council.
Ama Guro continues to make trips to the Philippines in order to discover more of the closed art, family systems of Arnis, and exchange knowledge with them. He then brings this knowledge back and shares it with his few, very select, students.
The Katipunan
Andres Bonifacio
The failure of the reform movement became quite evident in 1892 when Dr. Jose Rizal was arrested and banished to Dapitan. Andres Bonifacio founded the Katipunan on the very night that the news of Rizal's deportation to Dapitan leaked out. Bonifacio and his followers did not dream of mere reforms. They were interested in liberating the country from the tyranny of the Spaniards and the only way, in their minds, to accomplish their end was to prepare the people for armed conflict. Thus, Bonifacio founded the Katipunan on a radical platform, to secure the independence and freedom of the Philippines by force of arms. The official name of his organization was Kataastaasan, Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan, The Highest and Most Respectful Society of the Sons of the People.
Katipunan Code of Conduct
- The life that is not consecrated to a lofty and reasonable purpose is a tree without a shade, if not a poisonous weed.
- To do good for personal gain and not for its own sake is not true virtue.
- It is rational to be charitable and love ones fellow creature, and to adjust ones conduct, acts and words to what is in itself reasonable.
- Whether our skin be black or white, we are all born equal; superiority in knowledge, wealth and beauty are to be understood, but not superiority by nature.
- The honorable man prefers honor to personal gain; the scoundrel, gain to honor.
- Do not waste thy time; wealth can be recovered, but not time lost.
- Defend the oppressed and fight the oppressor before the law or in the field.
- The prudent man is sparing in words and faithful in keeping secrets.
- On the thorny path of life, man is the guide of women and the children, and if the guide leads to the precipice, those whom he guides will also go there.
- Thou must not look upon woman as a mere plaything, but as a faithful companion who will share with thee the penalties of life; her (physical) weakness will increase thy interest in her and she will remind thee of the mother who bore thee and reared thee.
- What thou dost not desire done unto thy wife, children, brothers and sisters, that do not unto the wife, children, brothers and sisters of thy neighbor.
- Man is not worth more because he is a king, because he is now aquiline, and his color white, not because he is a priest, a servant of god, nor because of the high prerogative he enjoys on earth, but he is worth most who is a man of proven value, who does good, keeps his word, is worthy and honest; he who does not oppress nor consent to being oppressed, he who loves and cherishes his fatherland, though he be born in the wilderness and knows no tongue but his own.
When these rules of conduct shall be known to all, the longed-for sun of Liberty shall rise brilliantly over this most unhappy portion of the globe and its rays shall diffuse everlasting joy among the confederated brethren of the same rays, the lives of those who have gone before, the fatigues and the well-paid sufferings will remain.
Philippine Flag