Grandmaster Veraqui “Ver” Villasin
Photos Courtesy of Melvin Orpilla
FMAdigest Volume6 Number3

Grandmaster Ver Villasin was born on August 15, 1953 in Cebu City. He is known and referred by his family and Balintawak club members as "Boy Villasin". Arnis-Escrima-Balintawak is his passion.

As a boy, he would watch his father teach lessons to his friends and students from a window. He wasn't allowed to watch because his father thought he would take what he learned to school and beat-up his school mates and friends.

He started learning the art of arnis at the age of eight by then, his father had taught him how to control his temper and showed him the art and like any ordinary child, he was playful and was crazy about all the games children played his age but his father was very persistent in teaching and after the lessons and practice, he would of course run down the stairs to join his friends.

Balintawak Arnis reminds him of his time with his father. He remembered when his father, had visitors in the house and he would call "Boy Villasin" to demonstrate or show some figures or techniques which he emphasized to his guest. He would introduce Grandmaster Ver Villasin to his guest as "my son, Boy Villasin".

Teofilo Velez often visited their house to see Atty. Jose Villasin and each time he saw Boy Villasin, he would always give him a big, tight hug and told him that he would take after his father. Teofilo Velez was very loyal to Atty. Jose Villasin as how "Boy" Villasin would remember.

When the young Master reached his teen years that is when he started getting serious with arnis. By then, he was so advanced that he became one of his father's instructor in the "old Balintawak School". In 1970, his father asked him to form a new club for the Villasin Klan and called it "Balintawak Arnis Academy". Grandmaster Ver Villasin was appointed by his father as the President, Jinga being the vice-president, Ethel was the secretary, John, Joey, and Bianor were among the Sargeant at Arms and the rest of the Villasin kids also became officers of the newly formed club.

In 1972, Grandmaster Ver traveled to USA, Greece and Australia where the rest of his family and other relatives resided. Anywhere he stayed, he brought Balintawak Arnis.
As a father, Atty. Jose Villasin dreamed of having one of his children follow in his footsteps in law. He requested for Grandmaster Ver Villasin to come home and study law even if he didn't plan on taking the bar, but "just graduate from law school" was good enough for Atty. Villasin. With his father's request which he could not refuse, he travelled back to Cebu in the 80's to enroll in San Carlos University.

Being in a big family, Grandmaster Ver decided to work for Philippine Airlines to support his education. He concentrated on his studies to fulfill his father's request and in 1986; he graduated, with a Majored in Business Law.

Several years after his graduation, he decided to retire from Philippine Airlines as an Operation Manager and decided to go back to Australia first before he returned to the United States.
Again, he was approached to teach Balintawak Arnis and this time he settled in California. Villasin Balintawak Arnis Academy/Balintawak International is currently in the North Bay Area. Grandmaster Ver Villasin of the Balintawak Arnis Academy is often invited to different city events to perform and demonstrate the art. All this he has done, to continue the Legacy of his father Atty. Jose Villasin and "Tatay Anciong" Bacon.

Return to Bios Main Page