Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the best Hollywood-made martial arts film Taekwondo Matters has seen so far. In this episode, we conclude the first season of Taekwondo Matters by tackling the different disciplines of martial arts seen in this latest Marvel film. To help us out, my daughter Bronte Lacsamana, a film enthusiast, Taekwondo redbelt, and journalist at BusinessWorld, gives her take on some of the best action scenes to date in the Marvel Cinematic Universe,, while I throw in my two cents worth on the variety of martial arts styles shown.

World and Asian Poomsae champion Jean Pierre, or JP, Sabido believes that none of his championships can come close to his current life as husband to fellow TKD instructor Pauline, and as hands-on dad to hyperactive toddler Chap and baby sunshine Beau. As Covid 19 figures continue to surge in Bacolod City, JP and Pauline  teach, train and send young members of the Negros Taekwondo Union-Tigers to national online competitions, where they have been bagging free-style kicking and poomsae medals since last year. Complaints? A little, but JP and Pauline won’t have it any other way. All dreams may be on hold, but for these two martial artists, this is exactly the life they’ve been training for.

In the sprawling hierarchy of the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA), martial arts legend Stephen Fernandez easily elicits respect due to his approachable personality, emphatic listening and diplomatic skills to get even the most intransigent fellow to meet him at least halfway.  A former collegiate and national champion, two-time Olympian, and university as well as Philippine team coach, Master “Pen” remains as down-to-earth as he was 38 years ago when he first learned the Korean martial art at a small, suburban dojang in Metro Manila. Today, he faces daunting challenges while helping manage the PTA to ensure that Taekwondo remains busy and relevant to the changing times.

Twins Rhezie and Rheza Aragon, nicknamed Zing and Zang, believe that as long as they got each other, everything would be right as rain.  The Lanao del Norte-born martial artists only started practicing taekwondo in 2016. After being scouted at Cagayan de Oro, they were recruited by National University, and the rest was history. The martial art that only started as a high school PE class, paved the way for the irrepressible duo to bag triple UAAP championships, representing NU from 2014 to 2018,  and in the Philippine Taekwondo Team from 2017 to the present.

Dave Cea, a 22-year old taekwondo athlete, does not let COVID-19 get him down or derail his dream for more wins with the Philippine team. "At the end of the day, the biggest challenge that I face is from my own mind," says the Butuan native. His weltenschauung (philosophy) is to believe in himself and do what he loves.

Bobby and Dean Vargas, Taekwondo legends in the 80s-90s, now teach a more family-oriented version of the Korean martial art in sunny Southern California. But underneath the friendly suburban exterior, Quest Taekwondo produces future champions and martial artists with indomitable spirit and integrity.

Filipino siblings Dustin and Rico Mella are martial artists whose lives, like millions of millennials the world over, are “engulfed” by social media. More so during the Covid-19 pandemic. But the two Taekwondo international champions have a way of keeping themselves calm, and grounded. They share the secrets of their success, both on the mat, and in real life.

“You can’t just show up, and expect to win,” says Roberto Cruz, a six-time gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Games. Coach “Kitoy” knows whereof he speaks. He also bagged gold, silver and bronze metals in the Asian Championships, plus three silvers and two bronze plums in the World Championships. Now a successful coach in the Philippines, Coach “Kitoy” talks about the stifling effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on his country and the local Taekwondo scene, and where things could (and controversially, should) be headed from here.

Ernesto Guzman, Jr., does not just practice martial arts, but lives the life of a martial artist way up in the northeastern Luzon province of Cagayan, some 12 hours from Manila. Here, in the currently locked down city of Tuguegarao, he runs the Guzman Taekwondo Academy where he teaches young kids to be champions of life. “Buboy”, as he is fondly called by friends and family, is truly a master at “building champions”.

Martial artist Noelyn Rose Campos is running for 2021 Miss Universe Philippines. Long shot? Who cares! What counts is that she inspires women, children and those going through mental health issues that they can weather life’s storms, and achieve their dreams.  To vote for Noelyn: Download the Miss Universe Philippines app. Android - https://bit.ly/3rxx5pv iOs - https://apple.co/3i6bxNI