Edwin A. Alonzo
SANDAN (3rd Degree Black Belt)
SHOTOKAN KARATEDO
Sensei Edwin Alonzo was born on July 4, 1954 in Cavite City, Philippines. At age 8, he was admitted to take free lessons in a Philippine Chinese Kung Fu School (now Kuntaw ng Pilipinas). In 1986 he left the Philippines to work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a mechanical piping designer in Ras Tanura Oil Refinery and in 1989 he pursued his love of Martial Arts and joined RTKF (Ras Tanura Karate Federation), the largest and most respected karatedo organization in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia at that time.
Sensei Edwin was trained by the best karate instructors like the RTKF founder Master Aguinaldo V. Ignacio (6th Degree, Shotokan and Arnis), a close associate of the late Sensei Kunio Sasaki who was a student of Sensei Masatoshi Nakayama and the one JKA, Japan directed to establish JKA in the Philippines, Sensei Pete M. Llagas (5th Degree Shotokan, RTKF Chief Instructor) and Sensei Sammy P. Perez (4th Degree Shotokan, RTKF President).
During his 10 years stay in the kingdom, he founded and formed the Thuqbah Martial Arts Center in Dharan (Eastern Province) whose chief instructor was Master Aguinaldo V. Ignacio and the Yanbu (Western Province) Combat Shotokan Karate Dojo. Both of these dojos offered free karate lessons to less fortunate overseas workers and their children.
In 1996, he came to the United States to work in Chevron Oil Refinery in the City of El Segundo where he met Masayaji Michael Mai (8th Degree, Bando Master) and his wife Cathy Mai (5th Degree, Bando) of World Karate. He became the school’s Shotokan Instructor for 18 years until he retired in July 2017.
Sensei Edwin's dedication, loyalty, unselfish support, and hard work to spread karatedo to the communities has brought honor to his federation and his achievements in karate competition have earned him many awards and promotions.
After retiring from Chevron Oil, at the age of 63, he formed a karate program in his church in Chino. He joined the Defense Arts Center in September, 2017 and assists Sensei Ty Aponte with his youth classes.
Aside from Shotokan, he was also trained in escrima (arnis) under Master Aguinaldo V. Ignacio and Aikido under Sensei Billy Chan.
Sensei Edwin is a certified scuba dive master and a current member of PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors). He loves diving, traveling, cooking, reading, MA, and gardening.
TIMELINE:
1962 – Age 8 started training Chinese Kung Fu (Kuntaw ng Pilipinas)
Started 1989 – Ras Tanura Karate Federation, Saudi Arabia (Shotokan Karatedo)
Shodan 1991 – Master Aguinaldo V. Ignacio, Sensei Pete Llagas, Sensei Sammy P. Perez (Shotokan Karatedo)
Nidan 2000 – Master A. Ignacio, Sensei P. Llagas (Shotokan Karatedo)
Sandan 2011 – Sensei P. Llagas, Sensei S. Perez (Shotokan Karatedo)
2017 - Joined Defense Arts Center
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