Jendo was first introduced in 1973 in Mandaluyong, a small municipality with a very low income then but now known as “Tiger City”, located in the central part of Luzon Island in the Philippines; between the cities of Manila, Makati, Pasig, Quezon and San Juan.
Jendo was founded and formulated by its Filipino originator named Grandmaster Jonathan “June” Makiling Abaya. Single-handedly, he developed and created an original Filipino style of martial arts based on his own concepts and philosophy called"Tres Enerhiyas". With a strong determination, Abaya persevered and continuously researched and studied various martial arts principles, concepts and forms, which ultimately evolved into what is now known as Jendo.
Just like many other martial arts styles and organizations, the formation and the growth of the Jendo martial arts started as a dream of one man, a dream which held a piece in the history of martial arts in the world.
In 1980, the world saw the enthusiastic and frenzied effort of Grandmaster Abaya to introduce this new style he developed by establishing one association after another. Having formed his own association, he met several setbacks in spreading the art. The main factor for the resistance to its acceptance then was that Jendo was still a relatively new style in the ears of the popular masses in the Philippines.In addition to this, karate at that time was at its highest peak of popularity. Nevertheless, he continued his determination to spread this non-traditional system of martial arts by organizing in 1985 the Jendo Martial Arts Club in Mandaluyong.
The first formal school of Jendo was established in October 1, 1986 under the name "Circuit Martial Arts Exponents" located at Lorenza Building in General Kalentong Street, Mandaluyong City. Two years after, the school name was changed to Jendo Martial Arts and Fitness Center but due to several factors and events, the school moved from one home to another.
Grandmaster Abaya's continuous dedication to martial arts for more than 40 years has given him a good reputation, rewards and recognitions and a substantial position to establish Jendo. In October 1 of 1992, he was appointed by the former Mandaluyong City Mayor, Benjamin Abalos Sr. to be the Chief of the Mayor’s Office for Arts, Recreations and Welfare Services office.
The first exposure of Jendo floor exercises, self-defense, Arnis and bladed weapons fighting-forms with other martial arts disciplines was in the 16th of May 1993 when the Jendo association organized the 1st Mandaluyong Metro-Manila Invitational Martial Arts Tournament at the Don Bosco Technical College gymnasium.
In 1994, “Ruweda”, the Jendo Ring-Fighting Sport, which was first introduced by Grandmaster Abaya in 1989, was formally launched and publicly demonstrated during Jendo 1st Regional Martial Arts Tournament held from January 14, 15 and 16 at the Mandaluyong City Gymnasium.
The tournament, which was dubbed as “Mayor BEN ABALOS CUP” was the first and the biggest martial arts competition held in the city during that time. It was highlighted with a grand parade in its opening with an estimated three thousand participants coming from the city's different elementary, high schools, college students, boys scouts and girls scouts, CAT and ROTC cadets and cadettes, local government and youth council members, City Officials youth and civic organizations coming from nearby cities and municipalities.
Among the famous personalities who graced the event were the Philippine Olympic Committee President - Gen. Rene Cruz, the then Philippine Karate do Federation President - Pocholo Veguillas and the then Baras, Rizal Municipal Mayor and World Sikaran Supreme Grandmaster and founder retired air force Col. Meliton C. Geronimo.
To popularize Jendo, Grandmaster Abaya linked up with different martial arts and sports organizations inside and outside the Philippines. He affiliated with the Kickboxing and Muay Thai Association of the Philippines in September 5 of 1995 and became its National Membership and Screening Committee Chairman and Secretary General several months after. On that same year, December 12th 1995, he joined Master Ang Hua Kun Tsing Hua Ngo Cho Kung Fu School and Master Co Chipo’s Philippine Chinese Kook Kong Athletic Association.
With a goal of introducing the Jendo Ring Sport to the practitioners of other disciplines of martial arts, he organized the Philippine Full Contact Self Defense Federation in September 23, 1996.The sport known to many in the Philippines as the AFC Sport became popular to this day since it was first introduced in 1996. It has conducted eleven national rating competitions and ten national championships.
In February of 2000, Grandmaster Abaya got a chance of promoting traditional arnis during the administration of the then Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Carlos "Butch" Tuazon, when thru its consultant Dr. Anthony R. Nicanor, he was appointed National Technical Director for Arnis Event in the National Games dubbed as the “National Palaro ng Bayan” which was held at Sarangani and General Santos City. He was also tasked to draft the tournament rules of the said event.
Grandmaster Abaya’s induction to the Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2002 at Biloxi City, Mississippi by the Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame, Inc. for promoting Filipino martial arts associated his organization to some of the biggest martial arts organizations and federations worldwide.
He was recognized and awarded with a 10th Degree Black Belt and Red Belt Grandmaster’s rank and title by many international organizations and institutions. Among these are; the World Organizer of Martial Arts (WOMA), the Dong-Koo Yudo Kwan, theInternational Grandmasters Society, World Organization of Mixed Martial Arts, World Escrido Federation, International League of Martial Arts Masters (ILMAM), World Sokeship Council, World Heads and Founders Society of International Styles and the International Combat Martial Arts Federation.And through these, he was able to advance the promotion of Jendo in the international community.
In 2002, from Barangay Hulo, the Philippine Jendo Association moved to Barangay Highway Hills in Mandaluyong City when he was appointed Consultant and was later elected President and Overall Chairman of the Barangay Sports Advisory Council and the Barangay Highway Hills Junior Waste Watchers Club.
In February of 2006, the international governing body of Jendo, the International Jendo Federation (IJF) was organized by GM Abaya with the USA-Philippine Jendo Association headed by his Irish-American student Sgt. Robert Stallard as its first official affiliate member outside the Philippines.
On the early part of 2007, his student from Hyogo, Guro Katsuhiro Ogiso joined IJF to organize the Japan Jendo Federation and the son of his late Judo, Karate and Tae Kwon Do Master named Juanito Arsol also organized the Italia Jendo Association in Milan, Italy.
Year 2007 made Jendo to be one of the most talked about martial arts organization in the Asian region when it organized the holding of the first Asian Martial Arts Games in the Philippines.
Although, the number of participants did not turn-out well, the association with the assistance of the able IMGC Secretary General Dr. Grandmaster Leong Wai Meng, successfully conductedthe 1st Asian Martial Arts Games at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium last November 29 to December 4, 2007.
It was very prestigious as it was the first ever martial arts games held in Asian history under the banner of the IMGC. The events, included were; Jendo Ring Sport,Karate, Kickboxing, Kung-Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Shoot fight, Low Kick, High Kick andMixed Martial Arts.The Jendo Floor Exercises and Traditional Arnis were also demonstrated by the Philippine Jendo Association. At the awarding ceremony, Madam Vivian Tianero of the WOMA International Council for Higher Martial Arts Science Education assisted by Dr. GM Leong Wai Meng presented a “Special Plaque of Award” to Grandmaster Abaya in recognition for his effort in organizing of the 1st Asian Martial Arts Games.
Among the competitors, guests and VIPs who attended the games are from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Greenland, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Korea, Nepal, Taiwan, Russia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and the Philippines.
And in April 14th of 2008, during the 3rd International Martial Arts Games supported by participants from Argentina, Azerbaijan, Australia, Bangladesh, China, D.P.R of Korea, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Nepal, Palestine, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, UAE, Czech Rep, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Greenland, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Scotland, Serbia, Slovenia, Srpska, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela, Wales and the Philippines, the 5th IMGC Congress was held at Hotel Manhattan in Bangkok, Thailand. In the congress, the International Jendo Federation (IJF) represented by its Secretary General Madam Teresita Biscaro was accepted as an associate member of the International Martial Arts Games Committee. It was also voted and decided that the IJF will be the official international governing body for Arnis event.
During the congress, the IMGC headed by its President, Professor Chang Ung, Senior Member of the International Olympic Committee awarded a Certificate of Appreciation to Grandmaster Abaya’s group and association for organizing the 1st Asian Martial Arts Games in Manila.
In May 12 of 2009, on the invitation of Mr. Parviz Khodaeinia, Grandmaster Abaya with his assistant instructor, Guro Simeon Mamauag went to Tehran to give a three day Jendo and traditional Arnis seminar workshop from May 13 to 15.It was attended by different masters, instructors, students and enthusiasts from various disciplines of martial arts with the Philippine Ambassador to Iran, Honorable Generoso Senga gracing the event as its special guest of honor in the opening rites. The three day seminar proved to be a big success marking its closing day, May 15, 2009 as the official date for the formal organizing of the Iran Jendo Federation in Tehran.
Today, after having established it's foothold in the world of martial arts history, Jendo can now lay claim to be one of the original PRIDE OF THE PHILIPPINES and the place of its origin, the CITY OF MANDALUYONG, having been conceptualized, developed and created.