The Tagalogs are members of an ethnic group inhabiting the central part of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The Philippine Revolution (1896 to 1898), the first organized revolt against western colonial rule in Asia, started in the Tagalog region hence it was sometimes referred to by the Spanish as the “Tagalog War.” With the seat of the Spanish government established in Manila, the Tagalog provinces also absorbed more influences from Spain compared to other regions in the country. The Tagalog province of Laguna is where the country’s National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal was born. Known for his intellectual and physical prowess, Rizal was an expert practitioner of arnis de mano, the most popular term for Filipino martial arts (FMA) in the Tagalog region.