Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is one of the birthplaces of Filipino martial arts (FMA). Previous inhabitants of the city — along with the island of Cebu — played a pivotal role during historical times in the development of Eskrima, Arnis, and even Panatukan, but despite that, the city has a surprising lack of FMA schools. It has also been overshadowed somewhat in the tourism department, with a certain class of holidaymakers preferring those other Asian metropolises like Bangkok, Macau, Singapore, and Hong Kong. But a new Manila is beginning to emerge with a change in fortune and a boost from the luxury tourism industry. The fourth-largest city in the world and a major … [Read more...]