Gat Puno Abon "Garimot" Baet began his
training under his father's instruction at the age of seven. He
began training with Arnis de Mano starting with the footwork and
the initial basic attacks known as the Abecedario. Later, Grandmaster
Felipe Baet went on to teach him Cinco Teros (5 ways of attack),
Siete Colores (the 7 colors, a legendary seven angle Largo Mano
system), and Doce Pares (the 12 Masters system, a 12 angle system
originating in Laguna in the 1800's), and the basic defense for
each angle of attack for each.
His father also taught him the double stick, Sinawali, and basic
knife fighting techniques including Balisong. His training then
moved on to the application of Mano-mano (hand to hand) combat techniques,
and the grappling system of the Filipino Aborigines that is called
Harimaw Buno (Tiger Style Wrestling). Gat Puno Abon continued his
training with his father, eventually mastering even the most advanced
techniques and concepts of the system.
Eager to learn (or "absorb") even more, Gat Puno Abon
sought out other masters from Laguna, each a specialist in one of
the following: Largo Mano, Sobrada Herada, Largo Mano & Herada
Corto de Abaniko, Crossado Corto de Cinco, Sobrada de San Miguel,
& Herada Corto de Payong. He trained under each Master until
reaching mastery. After a decade of intense training, Gat Puno Abon
joined full contact, no padding, stick fighting competitions at
Sixteen years of age. He lived up to the family tradition of victory
by becoming a full contact, unpadded stick fighter and undefeated
stylist of Arnis de Mano. He competed in the Laguna provinces of
Paete, Lumban, Magdalena, Siniloan, Majayjay, and Famy. He held
his title as undefeated Stickfighter from 1978-1985 (at which time
he started on his journey to move to the US). He continued his training
alone in the US, and then, with his father's blessing, began teaching
the "Garimot" system in the US, including Arnis and Buno.
In 1989 he founded the Laguna Arnis Federation, and Harimaw Buno
Federation (Philippine Martial Arts, Garimot system, USA). Later
he added the acronym P.A.E.T.E. (Paaralan ng Arnis - Estokada at
Tradisyonal Eskrima)in honor of his hometown of Paete, Laguna in
the Philippines. He teaches self defense, stick fighting (laban
baston), knife fighting (laban daga), empty hand combat (mano-mano),
and buno (Filipino wrestling). His teaching of Arnis is based on
the original Moro-moro stage play (the "Garimot" system
includes all 30 sequences of the moro-moro). The Moro- moro is where
arnis, eskrima and estokada originated. Gat Puno Abon "Garimot"
Baet is a fifth generation grandmaster. He is a supporter and promoter
of the PAETE ARNIS FEDERATION and The CENTURION ORIGINAL (formerly
Paete Arnis Club). Gat Puno Abon has been featured in different
publications including The Philippine American Journal, Inside Kung-Fu,
and The Karate Voice. He has given numerous seminars and demonstrations,
including to civic & local organizations, law enforcement, and
other martial arts groups locally and across the country.
Abon "Garimot" Baet is proud of the achievements that
he has reached in Arnis, and as such he never forgets to acknowledge
the other masters of Arnis de Mano that he was able to train under.
They are as follows:
Maestro Rufino "Pining" Absin (Paete, Laguna)
- Largo Mano
Maestro Tomas Baldemor (Paete, Laguna) - Sobrada Herada
Maestro Clemente "Ente" Afunggol (Paete, Laguna)
- Largo Mano de Abaniko
Maestro "Indo" Afunggol (Paete, Laguna) - Herada
Corto de Abaniko
Maestro Jose "Peping"Dimasaka (Paete, Laguna) -
Largo Mano
Maestro Victor Afu David (Paete, Laguna) - Crossado Corto
de Cinco
Maestro Alejandro "Andoy" Cacaos (Lumban, Laguna)
- Sobrada de San Miguel
Maestro Juan "John" Ladiana (Lumban, Laguna) -
Sobrada de San Miguel
Maestro Totoy Acuno (San Antonio, Kalayaan, Laguna) - Herada
Corto de Payong
Maestra Myrna "Mana" Cadang (Paete, Laguna)
The experience of training with all of these well-respected Masters,
including his own father Grandmaster Felipe "Garimot"
Baet, in combination with the numerous experiences including victorious
combat in full contact, unpadded stick fighting competitions, has
formed today's Gat Puno Abon "Garimot" Baet.
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