Makati Aikido Club

19/08/2026

[MILESTONE] NSA & FFA Complete 3-City Nationwide Aikido Rollout!

The Norwegian Training Center / Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA) and the Filipino Federation of Aikido (FFA) have officially completed the multi-city launch of the specialized Aikido Training Program across Batangas (Lyceum International Maritime Academy - LIMA/ Makati Aikido Club), Cebu (UCLM / SHACC - Sacred Heart Aikido Center Cebu), and Davao (Kannagara Dojo)!

Demonstrating strong executive commitment, NSA Cadet Manager Larry Gonzales and his team personally visited all three sites to launch the cycle and engage directly with the cadets.

All three regional hubs are led by instructors internationally recognized by Aikido Hombu Dojo (Tokyo, Japan) through the FFA network.

The curriculum focuses on physical resilience, self-defense, and professional boundary-setting to empower female cadets stepping into international maritime careers.

Special thanks to the leadership of Makati Aikido Club, SHACC - Sacred Heart Aikido Center Cebu, and Kannagara Dojo Davao for driving technical excellence on the mats nationwide! 🇵🇭🇯🇵✨

05/08/2026

Congratulations to Aikido in Cebu - Sacred Heart Aikido Center Cebu on the successful rollout of the NSA Cadette Aikido Training Program! We celebrate this incredible milestone with Sensei Benson Rafanan and the entire SHACC team as you inspire strength and resilience on and off the mat!

The Norwegian Training Center / Norwegian Shipowners' Association (NTC/NSA) officially relaunched its Aikido training program for cadets at the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue (UCLM) campus on Tuesday evening, Aug. 4, 2026.

The program is made possible through the partnership of NTC/NSA, the Filipino Federation of Aikido (FFA), with Sacred Heart Aikido Center Cebu (SHACC) serving as the federation's official training provider in Cebu, and UCLM.

Designed to help prepare future seafarers for the demands of the maritime industry, the training places special emphasis on building confidence, discipline, situational awareness, and practical self-defense skills—particularly among women cadets.

During the relaunch, SHACC members led by Benson Rafanan Sensei demonstrated the fundamental Aikido techniques that the cadets will learn throughout the year. They also showcased advanced techniques and ukemi (safe falling methods) to give the cadets a glimpse of what can be achieved through consistent training and dedication.

We extend our sincere gratitude to NTC/NSA for once again placing its trust in the FFA and SHACC to help develop not only capable cadets, but also disciplined, resilient, and future-ready maritime professionals.

Special thanks to Mr. Larry Gonzales, NSA Cadet Manager; Ms. Nova Erika Mae Ramos-Modelo, NSA Cadet and Documentation Officer; Engr. Jemmalyn Quiapo, NSA Training and Development Officer; and Ms. Rosalie Mongcal, UCLM-NSA Admin Coordinator, for their administrative leadership and executive backing.

We look forward to another year of empowering cadets through Aikido—instilling discipline, resilience, and the mindset needed to thrive both at sea and in life.

22/07/2026

BATANGAS, PHILIPPINES — The Norwegian Training Center/ Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA), in partnership with the Filipino Federation of Aikido (FFA) and the Makati Aikido Club(MAC), has launched the second cycle of its specialized Aikido program at the Lyceum International Maritime Academy - LIMA.

The initiative aims to build physical resilience and leadership boundaries for maritime cadets—particularly women preparing to enter a historically male-dominated industry.

The first semester of schoolyear 2026-27 was the successful pilot of the aikido program. Going forward, the program expands with direct backing from Norwegian shipowners and Philippine martial arts leaders.

"My team and I did not step onto this deck today just to introduce a standard physical education elective," said NSA Cadet Manager Larry Gonzales at Tuesday's launch. "If this were just an optional box-checking exercise, I would have sent a memo from my desk in Manila."

The curriculum—led on-site by Sensei Billy de Leon of the Makati Aikido Club —focuses on leverage, balance breaking, and non-violent redirection (tai sabaki) to help female officers establish authority and protect professional boundaries in high-stress shipboard environments.

The launch event showcased technical demonstrations by recently promoted yellow belt and by senior aikido practitioners from Makati Aikido Club. MAC senior aikidoists demonstrated advanced free-form techniques (jiyuwaza).

Following the Batangas relaunch, FFA affiliates SHACC - Sacred Heart Aikido Center Cebu in Cebu City and Kannagara Dojo in Davao City will conduct similar rollouts in coming days.

28/06/2026

The training does not stop, it only transforms. The Makati Aikido Club is temporarily pausing operations at our current space to undergo essential dojo maintenance. Because true martial arts adapts to any environment, we are currently securing a fresh, alternative location to host our next season of practice.

We are shifting our physical walls, but our community, our spirit, and our dedication to your mastery remain completely unbroken. Get ready to step back onto the mats in a revitalized training space.

But until then, stay connected, keep practising with others in the community remembering that Consistency is key ( 継続は力なり)

27/06/2026

We aren't just closing a door tonight; we are carrying every drop of sweat and spirit forward. Join us for our final 6:30 PM keiko at Makati Aikido Club.

24/06/2026

We poured every last drop of sweat into that Makati Sports Club mat—knowing the old season is officially dead, a new one is waiting in the wings, and while Saturday brings the final curtain call, Wednesday was where we proved we still have the heart to fight for every single roll.

11/06/2026

Following a first-semester rollout across multiple campuses, the Norwegian Training Center / Norwegian Shipowners Association (NTC/NSA) and the Filipino Federation of Aikido (FFA) (Makati Aikido Club, SHACC - Sacred Heart Aikido Center Cebu and Kannagara Aikido Davao are expanding their partnership to bring elite crisis-management training to the next generation of maritime officers.

By fusing corporate shipping leadership with Aikido training, this program goes beyond traditional academics to teach future seafarers how to master emotional control, personal safety, and unshakeable composure in high-stress environments.

Pictured here are Larry Gonzalez (NSA/NTC Cadet Manager), Nova Erika Mae Ramos-Modelo (NSA/NTC Cadet & Documentation Officer), Royce Reyes (FFA/MAC 7th Dan), and Dam Amaranto (FFA/MAC 6th Dan), MC Camus (FFA/MAC 1st Dan) —working together to shape the future of resilient global seafaring leaders.

05/06/2026

The Final Keiko at Makati Sports

For 19 years, this mat has been our sanctuary, our sweat, and our shared history—and this June 27, 2026, at 6:30 PM, is your very last chance to bow onto it.

To honor this legacy, all 4 of our Senseis will take the mat back-to-back, each leading a special 30-minute class for a final, unforgettable 2-hour keiko.

While we prepare a spectacular new dojo still deep in the heart of Makati, every aikidoka who has ever called this place home must be there for this one last historic bow.