Instructors

Tuhon Felix Cortes

Felix A. Cortes walked through the doors of the Sayoc International Schools For Kali in Jamaica Queens, NY on April 1977. He began his training with the Sayoc family under the guidance of Tuhon Christopher C. Sayoc, Sr. He was one of the members of the SCC "Sayoc Combat Course", a group of students personally trained by Tuhon Sayoc. With his main focus on the Sayoc Fighting Systems (SFS), Felix Cortes obtained the rank of Tuhon on July 7th 1991. Tuhon Cortes has continuously trained and is currently one of the senior officers in the SFS, promoting and teaching the stick portion of the Sayoc curriculum. He is also an active member of the Sayoc Tactical Group and Sayoc Combat Choreography teams. For many years, Tuhon Cortes has been a loyal student under the Sayocs, but most importantly considers Tuhon Sayoc and the rest of the Sayocs as part of his extended family.

Tuhon Ray Dionaldo

bio coming soon

Tuhon Rafael Kayanan

Rafael Kayanan first held a wavy kris when he was four years old, when a family member in the Philippines showed him where he sheathed it in the interior of his car. This sparked an early interest in Filipino Martial Arts and its violent history. His family then relocated to the US during the early 70's. Without any FMA schools in the vicinity, Kayanan studied other martial arts. All the while awaiting for the time when FMA would reach his corner of the world. In 1983, Kayanan was introduced to the Sayoc Fighting System headed by Tatang Baltazar Sayoc, Sr., and logically progressed to Sayoc Kali the highly evolved blade-only portion of the SFS curriculum taught by Tuhon Christopher Sayoc, Sr. In 20 plus years of SFS study, and being at the forefront of the growth of SFS, Rafael attained the rank of Master Instructor (Tuhon) in 2001.

Kayanan is also part of the Sayoc Tactical Group which focuses on training military and law enforcement personel. He also helps head Sayoc Combat Choreography which centers on providing edged weapon combatives to the entertainment industry. Presently, Kayanan is researching and writing about the history of the Philippines from the martial POV.

Kayanan continues to work in conjunction with all the instructors under Tuhon Christopher Sayoc, Sr. to further evolve the effectiveness and methodology of SFS and all it's branch groups.

Tuhon Ricardo Kayanan

(photo coming soon)

Tuhon Ricardo Kayanan began training in SFS in 1983.
As part of the pioneer SFS Florida demo group (along with Tuhons Ray Dionaldo and Rafael Kayanan ) that traveled up and down the peninsula introducing FMA to whomever would listen (or not listen) during the 80's and early 90's, a time when FMA was neither popular nor welcome in many circles.

Ricardo was part of the Fort Myers Florida Instructors Sayoc Group, and also assisted in training students at Tatang Baltazar "Bo" Sayoc's Naples Florida school in the early 90's.
He has trained in SFS / Sayoc Kali for 23 years.

Through the years, Ricardo has also cross-trained and researched multiple arts and disciplines.
He studied Shorei-ryu Karate, and then Chinese Kempo under the late Sifu Arthur Iudice. He also fenced under Coach Tom Howson. In the mid 80's while attending art school in LA, he spent the summer breaks training at the Inosanto Academy. He was permitted to train immediately with the Inosanto Kali class based on his experience with SFS. After moving to NYC in '93, he trained with  New York Fencers Club Coach, Yury Gelman who coached the 2001 NCAA National Championship team and has provided Olympic team fencers for the US and abroad.

Recently, Tuhon Ricardo established the Sayoc SF tribe providing weekly Sayoc Kali and SFS classes to the San Francisco Bay area. The SF tribe continues to grow and proudly represent SFS and Sayoc Kali.

 

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DISCLAIMER AND ADVISORY: The material contained in this website is for information and/or entertainment purposes only. Anyone interested in learning Sayoc Kali(sm), should only do so under the supervision of a certified Sayoc instructor. Sayoc Kali(sm) assumes no responsibility for the use, misuse or application of any of the information contained herein. Sayoc Kali(sm) and its related organizations, all which are divisions of the Sayoc International Group, Inc., teach select military, law enforcement, security and civilian personnel so that they may better protect and perform for the interests that they serve. Sayoc Kali(sm) believes in the preservation of the arts of the Sayoc family and the culture, heritage and ethical principles of the Filipino martial arts that have been passed down through generations. Sayoc Kali(sm) strongly advises that all persons stay informed about the laws that apply to defense of self and others within their jurisdictions and their respective professions. All material contained herein is the property of Sayoc International Group, Inc., and no material may be used, copied, reprinted or have derivative use made of it without written permission from the Sayoc International Group, Inc.