Filipino martial arts and physical disabilities, nothin’ to it!
In the hands of a master, wielding a small stick becomes a deadly weapon.
In the hands of a master, on wheels, it becomes a symbol of victory against physical disabilities.
Carlito Bonjoc Jr. is a fourth-generation master of escrima, a Filipino martial arts using sticks, knives or swords. And he fights with his hands, on his wheelchair or crutches.
Bonjoc was diagnosed with spina bifida (a deterioration of the spinal cord) when he was nine and, lost his right leg to infection as a young adult. But these challenges has not stopped him from becoming a respected Master of Escrima.
Watch this video and applause what the Filipino spirit can accomplish in the midst of adversity. As he says, “I want to show that although we (may have) disabilities, but we’re not disabled”.
The San Francisco Chronicle featured him in this podcast.
Tags: filipino, martial arts, escrima, carlito bonjoc jr., physical, disability, sports
3 Comments
Awesome post. I for one, certainly commend anyone with a disability who masters a martial art. It’s pieces like this that I want to highlight at riposte.org. Vive la artes Filipino!
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i would like to have mr carlito’s email if thats ok with him i am from cagayan de oro and out bloodlines originates from camotes island cebu