Jendo

Jendo, is a fighting art that utilizes empty hands and the traditional Filipino weaponries as a means of self-defense founded by Jonathan Makiling Abaya of Mandaluyong City.

It is a common mistake for many Filipino and foreign FMA practitioners to tag Stick-fighting or Weapons Fighting as the only Filipino martial art.

The truth is that, in the Philippines there are numerous number of other system of Filipino martial arts that exist alongside with Arnis and several of these have already been making names in the international scene.

Among these are the Dumog, the Yaw-yan and the famous Sikaran of Baras, Rizal who had already conducted several international competitions, seminars and clinics outside the Philippines for so many years.

In other regions, there are other arts that are also known but silently exist spreading inside and outside the Philippines. Among these are the Bakbakan, Kuntaw or the Kuntawan, the Taisan, the Takadi, Alamid Mongoose, the Tapondo and the Tracma that have already been featured in a movie entitled- the “Red Belt Master”.

In the City of Mandaluyong, there is a martial arts called - Jendo, a fighting art that utilizes empty hands and traditional Filipino weaponries such as the bangkaw, baot or arnis, dulo-dulo, siit and bladed tools like punyal, itak or buning as a means of self-defense. It is founded and formulated partly based on the ancient oriental systems of discipline.

Jendo is very much different from many existing system. Some are limited to either linear or circular concept in movements. Jendo’s defensive and offensive techniques moves within the context of its own concepts and principles called the “Circuangulinear” movements, the term coined by the founder himself to represent the linear, the circular and the angular motion.

Jendo is considered to be one of the very few authentic contemporary martial arts able to pass the screening of several government agencies concern and several authorities from other martial arts disciplines.

Prominent followers and practitioners of the art translate Jendo as "The Economical New Fist Way". The word Jendo actually is an acronym. The first letter of the word "Jendo", J - was derived from the originator's first name - Jonathan or June; E - stands for the word Economical or economically; N - stands for the word Non-classical or Non-conventional; the fourth letter, D - stands for the word Defense and the last, the letter O - stands for the word Order, which means, the method, the system or the way it is arranged. In Abaya's Weapon's Fighting System, he defines Jendo as June Abaya's Espada y Navaja Depensa Orihinal or simply - June Abaya's Original Stick and Knife Fighting System. The word Espada represents the tools stick, itak or the buneng and the word navaja represents daga, punyal or knife. Abaya introduces his stick-fighting art as Traditional Arnis with a goal of uncovering and preserving the historical values of the art and developing its effectiveness into a highly scientific art using the concepts and principles of Jendo.

The art of Jendo empty hand and weapons fighting method was founded on a systematic principle of physical movements that develop its practitioner into a healthy, physically and mentally well-coordinated person. It is a complete art and a science dealing not just with the study of self-defense but also with the study of human existence, his behavior and relationships with all the things that surround him. Jendo is not just an expression of martial arts defense and counter-attack, it is an expression of one's inner self; a means of attaining life's true meaning. It is the path by which something is and should be achieved.

Understanding Jendo is learning how to be both physically and mentally free; the art is simple in its entirety, direct and natural. It is not fixed and it is alive, ever changing and always searching for new ways; it has room for improvements just like the world or the universe we are living in, never constant, ever vibrant.

History and Development

Jendo was first introduced in 1973 in Mandaluyong, a small municipality with a very low income then but now known in Asia as the “City of Malls”, located in the central part of Luzon Island in the Philippines; in between the city of Manila, Makati, Pasig, Quezon City and the Municipality of San Juan.

Jendo was founded and formulated by its Filipino originator named Jonathan “June” M. Abaya. Single-handedly, Abaya developed and created an original Filipino style of martial arts based on his own concepts and philosophies called "Tres-Energias". With a strong determination, Abaya persevered and continuously researched and studied various martial arts principles, concepts and forms, which ultimately evolved into what is now known as Jendo.

Just like many other martial arts style and organizations, the formation and the growth of the Jendo martial arts and the Philippine Jendo Association started as a dream of one man, Jonathan Abaya, a dream which held a piece in the history of martial arts in the world.

In 1980, the world saw the enthusiastic and frenzied effort of Abaya to introduce this new style he developed by establishing one association after another. Having formed his own association, he met several setbacks in spreading the art. The main factor for the resistance to its acceptance then was that Jendo was still a relatively new style in the ears of the popular masses in the Philippines. In addition to this, karate at that time was at its highest peak of popularity. Nevertheless, he continued his determination to spread this non-traditional system of martial arts by organizing in 1985 the Jendo Martial Arts Club in Mandaluyong.

The first formal school of Jendo was established in October 1st 1986 under the name "Circuit Martial Arts Exponents" located at Lorenza Building in General Kalentong, Street Mandaluyong City. Two years after, the school name was changed to Jendo Martial Arts and Fitness System but due to several factors and events, the school moved from one home to another.

Abaya's continuous dedication to martial arts for almost 40 years has given him a good reputation, rewards and recognitions. On October 1st of 1992, he was appointed by the then Mandaluyong City Mayor, Benjamin Abalos Sr. as Chief of Arts, Recreations and Welfare Services. In September 5 of 1995, Abaya affiliated with the Kickboxing and Muay Thai Association of the Philippines, and then also that same year, December 12th 1995, he joined Master Ang Hua Kun’s Tsing Hua Ngo Cho Kung Fu School and Master Co Chipo’s Philippine Chinese Kook Kong Athletic Association.

In September 23, 1996, he organized the Philippine Full Contact Self defense Federation. Then on December 23 of 1998, he affiliated with the Philippine Indigenous Games and Sports Savers Association, a Philippine Tourism Authority based organization dedicated to the preservation and development of Filipino traditional sports, games and martial arts.
In January of 2000, during the administration of the then Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Carlos "Butch" Tuazon, Abaya was appointed National Technical Director for Arnis Event in the Philippine National Games dubbed then as the National Palaro ng Bayan held at General Santos City. He was the principal author of the tournament rules used in the said arnis event.

Abaya’s induction to the Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2002 at Biloxi City, Mississippi by the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Inc. associated his organization to some of the biggest and powerful martial arts federations worldwide.

He was recognized and certified as 10th Degree Red Belt Grandmaster
by many international organization and institutions Among these are; the World Organizer of Martial Arts, the World Organization of Mixed Martial Arts, the Dong-Koo Yudo Kwan, International Grandmaster Society, World Escrido Federation, International League of Martial Arts Masters, World Sokeship Council, World Head and Founders Society of International Styles and the International Combat Martial Arts Federation. His organization, the Philippine Jendo Association became the 51, 210th Charter Member of the World Self Defense Federation.

In 2003, the Philippine Jendo Association rests at Barangay Highway Hills in Mandaluyong City when he was appointed Consultant and then later elected President and overall Chairman of the Barangay Sports Advisory Council.

In February of 2006, the international governing body of Jendo named International Federation known today as IJF was organized by Grandmaster with the USA-Philippine Jendo Association headed by his Irish-American student Sgt. Robert Stallard as its first official affiliate member

In December of that same year, Abaya was invited to join the World All Martial Arts Style Organization based in Ankara, Turkey and then became Vice President and Board member.

On the earlier part, 2007, another two organization of IJF was organized, the Japan Jendo Federation in Hyogo, Japan and the Italia Jendo Federation in Milan.

Year 2007 made Jendo to be one of the most talked about martial arts organization in the Philippines when it plan to organize the very first Asian Martial Arts Games.

Abaya through the Philippine Jendo Association’s subsidiary organization the Philippine Full Contact Self-Defense Federation in coordination with the Martial Arts Games Council of Asia scheduled the 1st Asian Martial Arts Games in November 29th to December 4, 2007 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium located at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila. He and his Board of Directors in the Philippine Jendo Association and the Philippine Full Contact Self-Defense Federation appointed a certain high official from one agency of the national government who had just retired to head the Asian martial arts games as the overall chairman and President of the Philippine Full Contact Self-Defense Federation. Several months before the actual holding of the games, irregularities and problems arise. Communications coming from the officials of the Martial Arts Games Council of Asia (MGCA) and its several loyal members withdraw their support.

But these does not distracted Abaya; he knows that this will be a historical event. For him there is no turning back, a welcome message from the Philippine President and the Vice President has been released and VIP’s from the International Martial Arts Games Committee (IMGC) already signified their intention of attending the event. Three days before the actual event, he called his staff, Board members and technical officials from the Philippine Jendo Association (PJA) to take over the games. His friends and colleagues from other associations also assisted.

At the exact schedule, the 1st Asian Martial Arts Games was conducted successfully. It was very historical as it was the very first ever Asian martial arts games held in the Asian continent. Competitors, guest and VIP’s coming from Azerbaijan, Greenland, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Russia, Ukraine and United Arab Emirates attended the games.

During the awarding ceremony, a representative from the World Organizer of Martial Arts’ International Council for Higher Martial Arts Education base in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Madam Vivian Tianero arrived with a “Special Plaque of Award” presented to Abaya for organizing the 1st Asian Martial Arts Games. The award was presented to him assisted by IMGC Secretary General Leong Wai Meng of Greenland who graces the event along with Hong Kong National Martial Arts Games Council Master Norman Law and and Iran National Olympic Committee Sports Law General Secretary - Asghar Shokry.

fter the hosting of the 1st Asian Martial Arts Games, International Jendo Federation gained additional member federations from Iran, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Pakistan.

And in April 14th of 2008 at 5th IMGC Congress held at Hotel Manhattan in Bangkok, Thailand, the International Jendo Federation was accepted as an associate member of the International Martial Arts Games Committee. It was also voted and decided by the majority members of the IMGC Executive Board during the congress that the International Jendo Federation will be the official international governing body for Arnis along with the Jendo Ring Sport.

On that same occasion, Professor Chang Ung, a senior member of the
International Olympic Committee and IMGC Chairman awarded a Certificate of Recognition and Appreciation to Abaya’s association for organizing the 1st Asian Martial Arts Games in Manila.

Today, after having established it's foothold in the world of martial arts history, Jendo can now lay claim to be one of the original PRIDE OF THE PHILIPPINES and the place of its origin, the CITY OF MANDALUYONG, having been conceptualized, developed and created.

Thus, Jendo was born….

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