David Racho

Hi Cito!. Kamusta! So what are you doing there and are you coming back to the P.I.?

Anyway,

The first one I mentioned is indeed in that list, and I have it from first hand knowledge (I had lunch with him, he told me) that he has officially resigned from Ki Society (Ki no Kenkyukai) of Koichi Tohei a couple of years ago. His group is now called Ki Association International. So at this point his rank becomes sort of irrelevant as neither Aikikai or Ki Society will recognize it. Basically he's stuck at nidan.

The other one is not there, although in a similar looking list he is (in between Rolando dela Cruz and Benjamin Galarpe). He also was (or is) with the 6th Dan you mentioned, primarily because of Nishio Sensei and the Iaido part. There's only one (1) 6th Dan Filipino as far as I know. The recent seminar I was referring to was the Takemori Sensei (7th Dan Aikikai) seminar which had Iaido and taijutsu classes. Takemori will return to the Philippines next year.

Yes, you are most fortunate to have had a Sensei, I plan on visiting one of these days when I venture up north to Pangasinan.