7 August 2010 - Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom Antonio M. Lagdameo led the ribbon-cutting ceremony formally opening the UK Headquarters of the EA Doce Pares Gym in London.
The event featured guests from the Filipino community, live demonstrations from EA Doce Pares instructors and students, and a screening of the documentary "Eskrimadors", which chronicled the history of the Philippine discipline.
According to the gym's Chief Instructor Ermar Alexander, Eskrima - also known as Arnis or Kali - has been in the UK for 40 years, with the British public showing increasing interest in the sport.
EA Doce Pares first established a club in the UK in 2007, and since formed three other clubs around the London area.
Its new headquarters is envisioned to be a center for the promotion of Philippine culture and martial arts within the UK.
Eskrima is an indigenous Filipino martial art which utilizes weapons such as olisi (stick), baraw/daga (knife/dagger), espada y daga (sword and dagger) and bangkaw (staff/spear), as well as mano-mano (empty-hands) and dumog (grappling) techniques.
In 2009, Republic 9850 was passed declaring Arnis / Eskrima as the Philippine National Martial Art and Sport. END