Jiu-jitsu for all: Arte Suave Manila 2019

MANILA, Philippines — A diverse set of "Jiu-jiteiros" graced Arte Suave Manila 2019 at Commercenter in Alabang this weekend.

Local Jiu-jitsu enthusiasts from all walks of life came united for a competition and expo promoting the martial art.

Day One of Arte Suave Manila 2019 now underway here at the Commercenter in Alabang

The event will showcase Brazilian Jiu Jitsu thru competitions and an expo | @StarSportsHub @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/HmiYiaaRRY

— Luisa Morales (@mluisamorales_) October 19, 2019

This kind of community is just what Arte Suave Manila organizer Franco Rulloda had in mind when they first started the event in 2014.

"Everything started with a vision of just spreading Jiu-jitsu to the community... me and my team really believe that it's something that has to be known by everyone, [that] everyone should learn Jiu-Jitsu," Rulloda said.

"I was very blessed and fortunate enough... to be able to form the team that I have with me... Everything fell into place and we could only thank Commercenter for making this happen," he added.

Held at the same venue for the past five years, Rulloda and his team in Triumvirate Fighting brought Jiu-jitsu down to the grassroots level.

"The impact towards the community is very positive and then holding events like these in a very public venue would allow people who have no idea what Jiu-jitsu is to see what it is about," he said.

Juvenile Jiu-jiteiros were also able to see action, with a mixed gender tournament across four age groups.

Day 2 of Arte Suave Manila 2019 about to go underway here at @Commercenter Alabang@francorulloda of Triumvirate Fighting explains the rules for the participants of the juvenile Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament | @StarSportsHub @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/CZZrgK44Er

— Luisa Morales (@mluisamorales_) October 20, 2019

The inclusivity even reached the PWD community, with seven Deaf Jiu-jitsu students participating in the action.

"I know naman na yung mga regular people nga ay nabubully, paano pa kaya yung mga hindi nakakarinig, hindi nakakapagsalita." https://t.co/JXEJnYFELr | @mluisamorales_ @PhilstarNews

— Philstar Sports Hub (@StarSportsHub) October 19, 2019

And the martial art, Rulloda says, just keeps on growing every year.

"The concept was very well accepted by the Jiu-jitsu community... attendance just kept coming up," he said.

"This is the biggest attendance we've had the last five years... the last I checked... we're at 270, 275 [participants] so that's big," he added.

While the community is growing, Rulloda says a bigger push from the government and the private sector will help Philippine Jiu-jitsu reach its peak.

"I cannot emphasize enough how lucky we are that Commercenter believed in the sport, believed in the martiaal art, believed in the community behind it," Rulloda said.

"If more people from the private sector and our government would see that this is something Filipinos can really excel at... we would produe more champions," he added.

Arte Suave Manila 2019 concludes today.