Greatness in the genes: 3 siblings bag Palaro arnis medals

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For the Auditors, arnis has practically become a family sport. Among the six siblings, three of them competed and won in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, while the other three are already following in their footsteps

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – For three brothers from Cebu, their first taste of national competition was sweet and memorable. Competing side by side at the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, Auditor siblings Josh Francis, Jim Rohn, and Matthew Constancio brought home medals in arnis.

Josh Francis, 11, and 9-year-old Jim Rohn earned bronze medals in the elementary boys’ synchronized likha anyo-single weapon. Meanwhile, the 17-year-old Matthew Constancio clinched a silver medal in the secondary boys’ full contact category. 

“Unexpected kaayo nga kami tatlo nakadaog. Proud kaayo ko sa akoang mga igsuon (It was so unexpected that all of us would win. I am so proud of my brothers),” Matthew said. 

Matthew began his arnis journey when he was 11, introduced to the sport by coach Methie Laspoña. Now in high school, he balances his schedule by studying in the morning and training after classes from 4 to 9 pm. His coach here in the Palaro is Shenie Amante.

“Inig klase sa buntag duka kaayo. Pero full support man ang amoang family. Akoang papa ang nagapukaw sa amoa every morning para mag jogging (During my morning classes, I feel sleepy. But my family fully supports us. My father is the one who wakes us up every morning to jog),” he said. 

His younger brothers also faced a lot of pressure during intense training, often getting into harmless squabbles over mistakes in their routines, their mother Annabel said.

Both Josh Francis and Jim Rohn trained under coach Laspoña. Jim Rohn initially showed interest in futsal but eventually followed Matthew’s footsteps and transitioned to arnis. Meanwhile, Josh Francis found his place in the sport.

“Takbo dito, takbo doon. Sobrang likot. Kaya nung nag-arnis siya, nagkaroon siya ng paglalagyan (He used to run around everywhere—so energetic and restless. But when he started arnis, he finally found his place),” Annabel said. 

Inspired by Matthew’s dedication, both brothers have embraced the sport wholeheartedly, with their commitment growing stronger after every training session and competition.

Arnis has practically become a family sport for the Auditors. Among the six siblings, three competed in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa, with the remaining three soon to follow in their footsteps. James Nathaniel, 15, and 13-year-old Hannabel Eunice have trained and competed in the arnis event in the city meet, while their youngest, Mary Margareth, at 8 has just started her arnis journey.

Though their formal training comes from coach Laspoña at school, their father Margo plays a vital coaching role at home, waking them early for jogs, observing their practices, and offering advice to help them improve outside of training hours.

Margo once dreamed of competing nationally himself. Now, seeing his sons take the stage brings him great joy and pride.

“Sobrang happy and grateful ko dahil napakaraming players na nagsisikap at gustong makapag laro dito. Hindi lahat po nabibigyan ng pagkakataon sa Palarong Pambansa (I am very happy and grateful because a lot of players work hard to play here. Not everyone gets the chance to compete at Palarong Pambansa),” he said.

Margo told Rappler that their hard work is driven by the hope of overcoming poverty. Through competitions, the siblings aim to earn scholarships so they can cover their educational expenses and finish their schooling.

Batang Pinoy and beyond

With the Palarong Pambansa behind them, the Auditor siblings now set their sights on Batang Pinoy, a national youth sports competition for under 18 years old, and a return to next year’s Palaro with more discipline and determination.

For Matthew, mental toughness is his next focus, training not just physically but emotionally to stay composed when his opponents score. For the younger siblings, they want to improve their speed and precision in their synchronized routines. 

“Di mag kumpyansa o huminto, gusto din bumawi ng iba. Tuloy tuloy pa rin ang disiplina at practice (Don’t be too confident and stop, others are also aiming to make a comeback. Continue their discipline and practice),” said their father.  

As a family, they dream not only of continuing their athletic journey but also of completing their studies, hoping their success goes beyond the Palarong Pambansa. – Rappler.com

Felix Rey Van Olandria is a Rappler Mover based in Iloilo City.