About GM Robert Castro
Grandmaster Robert Castro is the founder of the Filipino Martial Arts system Eskabo Daan, a combination of various FMA stick fighting and empty-handed systems. He was trained by both Great Grandmaster Angel Cabales in Cabales Serrada Escrima, and Great Grandmaster Ernesto Presas in Kombatan. He is most senior 9th degree Kombatan Grandmaster in the world. ​
For his contributions to the community, Castro has been recognized by the City of San Francisco and the State of California. He has taught seminars all over the world, including Spain, Denmark, Austria, Poland, and Finland.
The Path of a Grandmaster
Grandmaster Robert Castro was born in the Philippines and moved to the U.S. when he was two years old. He said growing up Filipino in America was tough.
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“It was very difficult back then in the 1950’s. Filipinos were regarded as third world citizens. It was really hard,” he said.
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To defend himself from bullies, he took up martial arts at twelve. After years of training, he left the San Francisco Bay Area and the world of martial arts to pursue his music career in Hollywood. He performed with the links of The Supremes and Sonny and Cher. Eventually, the lifestyle in Los Angeles became unpalatable for him, and he again turned to martial arts.
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He came back to the San Francisco Bay Area and trained under Filipino Great Grandmasters Angel Cabales and Ernesto Presas.
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In 1994, he founded Eskabo Daan, a technique that allows anyone to turn anything — a pen, a set of keys or even rolled-up magazine — into a weapon.
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In 2007, Ernesto Presas promoted Robert Castro to the rank of 9th degree Grandmaster at the Philippines International Kombatan Camp.