By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Being under quarantine has not quelled Dr. Richard Gabayoyo’s passion for sports.
Currently West Visayas State University’s (WVSU) Sports Director, Dr. Gabayoyo has kept himself busy tapping on his keyboard while unraveling the art of long-stick fighting for a book he is finishing at home.
Dr. Gabayoyo is planning to introduce and promote long-stick fighting and is aiming that this kind of artform will be included in competitions particularly in “anyo”.
For those who don’t know, “anyo” is the application of all styles learned throughout one’s training and is performed with a specific weapon to show the flow of the form.
In Dr. Gabayoyo’s long-stick fighting in the form of “anyo,” performers will be given 1 or 2 minutes maximum for them to execute all the forms using long-sticks.
Apart from the technicalities of long-stick fighting, one of the main inspiration for Dr. Gabayoyo in the creation process of the book is helping people gain self-defense knowledge using long-sticks.
“To add to the categories/events in arnis, I am currently writing a book regarding long-stick fighting and to also help educate people on how to defend themselves using long sticks,” said Dr. Gabayoyo in an exclusive interview with the Daily Guardian.
Dr. Gabayoyo has published numerous books in the past, including Fundamentals of Volleyball, Essentials of Basketball, Hugpong Filipino Martial Arts Arnis Competition Rules, Street Volleyball Rules, Guimaras Sports Development Program, and Advanced Arnis Digital Scoring System for Forms together with Professor Cyreneo Dofitas approved by the Intellectual Property Philippines.
Aside from being WVSU’s Sports Director, Dr. Gabayoyo is also the Provincial Sports Consultant of Guimaras, SBP Guimaras Director, PEKAF Guimaras Director, NBTC Guimaras Commissioner, Organizer/Founder of Guimaras Volleyball Championship, NBTC Area Head for Western Visayas, Guimaras Taekwondo Union Organizer and head instructor, and Guimaras basketball referees’ organizer.
