Of the many foreign forces who have invaded the Philippines, the Spaniards were the only ones that left a tangible influence on the Filipino martial arts (FMA). The concept of espada y daga (sword and dagger) for instance was borrowed from Spanish swordplay. Even today, a lot of FMA terminologies are still in Spanish.

The influence of Spanish swordsmanship may have entered the FMA after in–termarriages occurred between Spaniards and Filipinos and on instances where the Spanish government had to train the natives as an auxiliary fighting force against invaders.

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