Professor Remy Armador Presas
Dec.19, 1936-Aug. 28, 2001
Art: Modern Arnis

Remy Presas began his martial arts training at the age of 5. Filipino Tradition dictates that the family art be passed down from grandfather to grandson. Everyday for four years, Remy’s grandfather, Leon Presas, would teach him the intricacies of Ochoo, the figure eight style and Palis Palis, the arts of the pass. Remy learned quickly, moving and striking like a natural.

During his childhood, Remy devoured everything he could on the arts. At the age of twelve, he stowed away to Cebu to further pursue his martial arts training. While there he stayed with his uncle Fredo, who introduced him the Balintawak style. There were two schools teaching this style in the area. Remy began to learn the art under one of the top ranked practitioners, Timor Maranga.

A devastating tournament fighter, he would often finish his matches by knocking his opponent out. After two years he caught the eye of Anciong Bacon, the Grandmaster of Balintawak. Bacon asked Presas to become one of his personal students.

The Balintawak School and the rival Doce Pares held sway over all the escrima clubs in the area. Challenges were regularly issued and met by both sides. The skills of the fighters were tested frequently in street brawls and in back alleys. Although this training helped Remy hone his stick skills to a razor’s edge, he found the senseless violence disturbing. “I began to change my concept,” he recalls, “I was doing fighting all the time, for real, not sport. My reputation was that all the time if they spar with me, there will be blood. Soon no one will practice with me. I have a bad reputation. So I thought to myself I should change my way.”

With the blessing of Grandmaster Bacon, Presas left Cebu to design his own system of fighting that would emphasize self-defense. His goal was to turn the barbarism of the street brawls he had lived into civilized contests for sport. “If you are the best, is can be judged only through your work,” he stated. “You can not be the best if you only have a few students. I want to spread out the art.”

At that time Filipino martial arts needed spreading. The arts were dying in their homeland for a variety of reasons. The influx of foreign arts like Karate or Kung Fu offered an exotic appeal and took less physical toll. In traditional Filipino martial arts, the cane was considered sacred. Learning the art meant suffering repeated strikes from the devastating rattan sticks. Presas revolutionized the way the arts were taught by using the cane as a target. His new style of teaching and his new system, “Modern Arnis” helped to preserve the traditions of the Filipino martial arts.

The Professor began to teach his new arts and his popularity grew until he became the first official ambassador of goodwill for the Philippines’ Department of Tourism. He spent nine years traveling around the globe promoting his country’s sport and culture. He was eventually forced to flee the country because of governmental pressure.

The seminar format, that has become a standard way of teaching martial arts today, is the brainchild of Presas’ plan. He had always traveled from island to island in his homeland. He simply continued sharing and learning while moving from state to state.

While he is best known for his development of the art of Modern Arnis, Remy Presas was also a skilled master of Karate and other arts. During his life he trained and maintained friendships with many of the notables in the arts including Wally Jay, Ed Parker Sr., Maung Gyi and Bruce Lee.

Remy Presas saw his dream of a revival of the Filipino arts come true. Today, they are known world wide and even lend their influence to Hollywood’s fight scenes.

Grand Master Remy A. Presas passed away due to heart failure and severe internal infection after battling brain cancer on August 28, 2001 at Parkwood Home Care in Victoria, Canada. After extended delays due to certain circumstances, his remains arrived in Manila, Philippines on September 19, 2001. He received posthumous award (for propagation of Filipino Martial Arts worldwide) from PIGSSAI / Philippine Tourism Authority. On September 23, 2001, his body was flown to Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. He was laid to rest on September 25, 2001 in the neighboring town of Hinigaran, his birthplace. The Municipal Council of Hinigaran expressed its sorrow and sympathy over his demise through a Resolution voted by all its member.

Many groups and individuals have stepped forward since his death to keep the torch lit. From his family, to his “Datus’, to the Masters of Tapi-Tapi to the independents. Each holds a piece of the dream, ensuring that it will never die out.

For more information, please visit the following sites:

Remy Presas memorial site - http://martialtalk.com/remy

Modern Arnis Organization and Schools listing : http://martialtalk.com/forum/schools.html

American Modern Arnis Associates
http://www.americanarnis.com/

Danish Arnis Federation
http://www.arnis.dk/

Jeffrey J. Delaneys’
International Modern Arnis Federation (IMAF)
http://professorpresas.com/

German Arnis Federation
http://www.modern-arnis.de/

Remy P. Presas International Organization (MARPPIO)
http://modernarnis.com/

Randi Scheas’
International Modern Arnis Federation (IMAF)
http://www.modernarnis.net/

World Modern Arnis Alliance (WMAA)
http://wmarnis.com/

World Modern Arnis Coalition (WMAC)
http://www.kellyworden.com/