Ciriaco Cacoy Cañete

Ciriaco Cacoy Cañete was a world-famous Filipino Martial Artist and the last of the great original teachers and developers of the unique Filipino martial arts “ESKRIMA”.

Early Life of Ciriaco Cacoy Cañete 

Cañete was the youngest among the twelve siblings. At the age of seven, his brother Filemon "Momoy" Cañete started training him with Eskrima Martial Art, a tradition in his family. His brother had learned all these skills from their father Gregorio and uncles Gavino, Pedro, and Juancho. In addition, Cañete was trained in other martial art forms like ju-jitsu, boxing, judo, freestyle wrestling, Shorin-ryu karate, and aikido.

Career

Ciriaco Cacoy Cañete became famous for fighting over a hundred no-rules Eskrima matches that earned him respect with the title of Supreme Grandmaster and was popular in the martial arts community. Cañete developed his own system of Eskrima, which he named "Eskrido" in 1951. Eskrido combines Doce Pares, ju-jitsu and judo, which features standard Eskrima stick techniques mixed with ju-jitsu style locks and throws.

Ciriaco Cañete had also served the U.S Army Forces Far East ("USAFFE") during World War II and during the Japanese occupation; he served as 2nd Lieutenant Combat Intelligence Officer, Cebu area (guerilla forces). 

In 1979, at the age of sixty, Cañete became the champion of the First Open Arnis Tournament in Cebu City, Philippines. He also stood first in the First National Invitational Arnis Tournament in Manila, Philippines. These tournaments were sponsored by the National Arnis Association of the Philippines ("NARAPHIL") and organized by Dionisio (Cañete's nephew and former student), who served as President of NARAPHIL and the World Eskrima-Kali Arnis Federation ("WEKAF"). The WEKAF is an organization that was founded in 1987. Other than Martial art Ciriaco Cañete also authored books such as Basic Doce Pares Eskrima in 1988, Pangamot (Bare- handed Defense System) in 2002, Eskrido (Eskrima, Jujitsu & Judo Integrated) in 2004, Eskrima-Arnis Techniques in 2009 and the latest Olisi-Baraw book in 2014.

Visayan martial arts practitioners had formed the Doce Pares Association in Cebu, the Philippines, with an increasing interest in Filipino martial arts. In the year 1939, Cañete's elder brother Eulogio "Yoling" Cañete became president of Doce Pares. Later in 1988, after the death of his elder brother Euloigio Cañete( the club's founder ), Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete was elected as the President of the Doce Pares Club, a position he continued to hold until his death due to prostate cancer.

Honors & Major Achievements :-

• Inducted to the Hall of Fame of Cebu City Sports Commission in 1997
• Chosen as one of the “Most Outstanding Cebuanos of the Century” by the Cebuano Studies and Historical Association on January 2000.
• "Four Outstanding Individual of Cebu City" in February 2000 selected by the Cebu Historical Center.
• Filipino Martial Arts Hall of Fame in El Paso, Texas, USA on July 2000.
• Blackbelt Hall of Fame ("Weapons Instructor of the Year") in Los Angeles, California, USA in December 2000.
• US Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame ("Most Distinguished Grandmaster of the Year") in St. Louis, Missouri on July 2003.
• World Martial Arts Hall of Fame in Columbus, Ohio on July 2003
• US Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame ("Philippine Martial Arts Legend") in St. Louis, Missouri on July 2004.
• Mayor Tomas Osmeña's Special Awardee, Cebu City, Philippines on February 2005.
• World Martial Arts Masters Association Hall of Fame in Los Angeles, California on June on 2005.
• Martial Arts History of Museum Hall of Fame in Los Angeles, California on June 2005.
• Cebu Eskrima Society Hall of Fame in Cebu City, Philippines on November 2006.
• Doce Pares Hall of Fame ("Doce Pares Legend") in Cebu City, Philippines March 2008.
• International Martial Arts Times Magazine Hall of Fame ("Supreme GM of the Year") in Pakistan on May 2008.