History Of Doce Pares

Officers 2009-2010

President Dionisio A. Cañete
Vice President Valentin B. Suan
Secretary Michael R. Cañete
Treasurer Percival Pableo

Board of Directors:
SGM Dionisio Cañete
Paterno B. Guanzon
Valentin B. Suan
Michael R. Cañete
Percival D. Pableo
GM Bonifacio D. Uy
Dr. Silvano Maranga

History

The name Doce Pares was adopted in reference to the famous twelve bodyguards of Emperor Charlemagne of France (AD 768-814). These twelve people - all top swordsmen - were known to have fought and killed hundreds of enemies in battles.

Eulogio Cañete held on the presidency of Doce Pares until his death in June 1988. His second eldest son Eulogio, jr. succeeded him as President up to the present. His youngest son, Grandmaster Diony is the Executive Director and Chairman of Doce Pares Council of Masters. (None of the founding members are alive today, the last one GM Felimon Cañete died in 1995 at 91 years of age)

Subsequently, the organisation became Doce Pares, Incorporated when it was registered as non-stock, non-profit corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission which issued certificate of registration no. 1373.

Multi Style System

For many years and even up to the present people are still confused about the real Doce Pares system. This is only understandable because while the system is a conglomeration of various styles as introduced by the founding masters in 1932, there are many instructors and masters today who only teach a specific style of any one of the original masters. All the founding masters had their own set of followers and the students who chose not to study and cross-train in other styles naturally learned only the particular style of his own teacher.

Doce Pares was a virtual supermarket of Eskrima styles, hence, there's the Larga Mano of Eulogio Cañete; the Espada y Daga of Felimon Cañete and Jesus Cui; the Corto Linear of Teodoro Saavedra and later on of Venancio Bacon, Delfin Lopez and Timoteo Maranga; the Corto Orihinal and Media Largo of Felimon and Iluminado Cañete; the Hirada and Retirada of Vicente Carin and Ponciano Ybañez; the Mano-Mano and Baraw of Maximo Cañete and Jesus Cui; the Corto Kurbada and Abaniko of Ciriaco and Felimon Cañete respectively. Thus there are many masters today who only teach and promote one particular style and yet can validly claim to belong to Doce Pares family.

It was in early 1970 when Diony was commissioned by his father Eulogio Cañete, the President of Doce Pares to study, prepare and formulate a program of instruction that would cover and comprehend all the component styles. The specific objective was to come up with a training curriculum that would give equal treatment and prominence to all the original styles and by all means to afford due honors and recognition to all the founding advocates. Hence the birth of the "Multi-Style" system which very much set well with Grandmaster Diony as he and his three elder brothers were among the very few who were fortunate to have learned all the original styles as brought into and introduced by the founding masters whenDoce Pares was formed in 1932.

The components of the "Multi-Style" system.

1. Solo Olisi (Single stick)
2. Doble Olisi (Double stick)
3. Baraw (Dagger/Knife defense)
4. Espada y Daga (Long and short weapon)
5. Bangkaw (Staff/spear)
6. Long Bladed Weapons (Sword)
7. Mano-Mano (Open hand fighting)

Three ranges are used:

1. Corto (Close Range)
2. Media Largo (Medium Range)
3. Larga Mano (Long Range)

All the three styles of Corto (Close Range):

1. Corto Linear (traditional linear striking)
2. Corto Kurbada (curving strikes)
3. Corto Orihinal (low, deep and wide stance)

All the three styles of Corto (Close Range);

And four components of Mano-Mano:

a. Sumbag-Patid (Punch and Kick)
b. Lubag-Torsi (Locks and Immobilization)
c. Layog-Dumog (Takedown and Grappling)
d. Doble Olisi (Double Stick)

Specialised Subjects:

a. Eskrido
b. Sinawali
c. Tapi-Tapi (Alive Hand)
d. Sayaw/Karanza (Forms)

All the above subjects are incorporated under the comprehensive 5-year training curriculum of the Doce Pares "Multi-Style" system. The program is taught only in schools authorised by Doce Pares International, the original Doce Pares organisation and only one recognised by the government of the Republic of the Philippines, duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as DOCE PARES INCORPORATED under Registration Certificate No. 1373.