Phl Embassy Madrid Personnel Undergo Self-Defense Seminar

Photo L-R: Mr. Lawrence Oleriana; Ms. Yolanda Almeda; and Madrid PE personnel.

19 February 2014 – The Philippine Embassy in Madrid reports that Embassy employees and their family members and private staff underwent a two-day self-defense seminar at the Chancery´s Sentro Rizal on 11 and 18 February 2014 as part of the Embassy´s Gender and Development (GAD) activities for 2014.


The seminar was taught by Mr. Lawrence Oleriana, a Filipino-Spanish based in Madrid. Mr. Oleriana is the President of the Spanish Association for Filipino Martial Arts and is considered as the highest representative of Modern Kali Arnis-Tapado in Spain.

Modern Kali Arnis-Tapado is based on the system of Arnis-Tapado which was established by Grand Master Julio Quirino in 1941 in Cebu City.  In order to adapt traditional Arnis-Tapado techniques to the needs of the present society, Maestro Guro Oleriana introduced Modern Kali Arnis-Tapado which emphasizes the strength and power of hitting.


During the two-day seminar, participants were taught basic self-defense techniques both in theory and practice.  As a culmination activity, participants had to defend themselves, using the skills they learned during the seminar, against attacks in the elevator or in the street, armed robbery, sexual harassment and rape.

All participants were awarded a Certificate of Participation by the Philippine Ambassador to Spain Carlos C. Salinas.