Raul A. Rodrigo (1965–2012)

The Philippine aikido community grieved with the family of Raul A. Rodrigo, who passed away on January 30, 2012. Raul was a published author, and his training equipped him with a critical mind that he wielded with worldly humor and wry tolerance, along with a willingness to do difficult, unglamorous work. Over the two years before his death, Raul — together with Rommel Miel and Carlos Hubilla — did more than anyone else to move the major aikido federations in the Philippines toward greater cooperation and mutual trust, building bridges at a time when the bridges were broken. That work, together with the books he authored, stands as his monument and legacy.

“We have all lost a great friend, a delightful drinking companion, a fair-minded debating adversary, an effective implementer of impossible tasks, and a relentless companion in the pursuit of excellence,” the Makati Aikido Club wrote at the time. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family.”