Villabrille – Largusa Kali System
In Memoriam – Mel Lopez [1940 – 2022]
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Grandmaster Mel Lopez. On March 10 2022, Grandmaster Lopez joined his wife Nita Lopez in eternal rest.
Grandmaster Lopez will be remembered for his loyalty to Grandmasters Villabrille and Largusa, dedication to Kali and for passing on
this treasured art to countless students. Most of all, he will be remembered as a good friend.
The late founder of the Villabrille-Largusa Kali System, Grandmaster Floro Villabrille, established that there could only be one living grandmaster and one living tuhan (master) in the Villabrille-Largusa Kali System. Upon the death of the current grandmaster, the current tuhan of the Villabrille-Largusa Kali System succeeds him. On August 14, 1994, that succession continued when Grandmaster, Ben Largusa, named Professor Mel Lopez, Tuhan and director of the Villabrille – Largusa Kali System. As Grandmaster Largusa’s personally chosen successor, Tuhan Lopez has dedicated his life to the perpetuation of the Villabrille – Largusa Kali System.
Prior to Grandmaster Largusa’s passing, he reaffirmed his wishes that Tuhan Lopez succeed him as grandmaster and to not have any lapse in the leadership of the system. On October 3, 2010, upon Grandmaster Largusa’s passing, Tuhan Lopez succeeded him as grandmaster of the Villabrille – Largusa Kali System and named his personally chosen successor, Professor Jaime (James) Berdal as tuhan.
Upon Grandmaster Lopez’ passing on March 10, 2022, Tuhan Berdal succeeded him as grandmaster. To continue the succession plan, Grandmaster Jaime (James) Z. Berdal named his younger brother Professor William (Willie) Z. Berdal as tuhan of the Villabrille – Largusa Kali system.
The Filipino Martial Art
Welcome to the official website of the Villabrille-Largusa Kali System and the Kali Association of America.
The Villabrille-Largusa Kali System is the Filipino Martial Art founded by the late Great Grandmaster Floro Villabrille and late Grandmaster Ben Largusa.
This website is dedicated to all practitioners & enthusiasts of the Villabrille-Largusa Kali System and Filipino Martial Arts. Its function is to promote and perpetuate the teachings of the late Great Grandmaster Floro Villabrille and Grandmaster Ben Largusa and to provide accurate information on the Villabrille-Largusa Kali System and Kali Association of America.
“I do not need the 1000 students or the 1000 schools. All I need, is the 1 loyal student, who has trained long and hard, and has completely mastered this system, to carry this system into the coming centuries. There is no compromise.”
“The more thorough ones knowledge becomes, the more diligently one practices, will one day allow one, to cross the threshold, where fear will be held in check, by his trust in the system and confidence in his training.”
Floro V. Villabrille
