I've been practising Pekiti Tirsia Kali for about 30 years. I studied mechanical engineering and now work as an engineer for an automotive supplier. Aside from my studies and work, training in the Filipino martial art has always been a big part of my life.

From the late 1990s until now, I've been lucky to benefit from personal contact and training from Greg Alland, Uli Weidle and Leo T. Gaje, who is the keeper of the Pekiti Tirsia style.

I'm a big fan of Greg Alland's motto: "Have Sticks - Will Travel", which has taken me to lots of countries for training. I've also travelled to the Philippines a few times and I've really enjoyed getting to know people from different cultures and places on a personal level.

When I moved to Osnabrück for work, I couldn't join a gym that offered the training I wanted, so I started looking for people interested in training. What started as a small group became a registered non-profit association, the "Pekiti Tirsia Osnabrück e.V.".

I'm excited to see how the Filipino Martial Arts will develop in the near future and I hope to contribute to its future.