Looking to build a bigger stage for the country’s homegrown martial arts, the Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (Pekaf) announced recently that it will host the World Championships in Cebu in July next year.
Boosted by the 14 gold medals national athletes won in the recent 30th Southeast Asian Games, Pekaf executive vice president Gerald Cañete said the biennial Worlds will be hosted by Lapu Lapu City.
“We have the advantage of the success of arnis during the SEA Games with the hosting of the World Championships, and our president, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, has said that it will be held in Cebu,” Cañete said.
“Arnis is our national sport, and it originated in the province of Cebu, which incidentally is celebrating its 500th year,” he added.
Forty nations are expected to join the Worlds, which was last held in Hawaii. INQ