Ambrosio J. Gavileno was born on December 7, 1942 in Igsungay, Buenavista
in the Visayan province of Guimaras. Monching is the youngest among the twelve 
siblings. Seven are women. Their parents were Miguel Gavileno and Sabina 
Jarabelo.
     At the early age of 7, "Monching", as he is fondly called, showed preco-
cios signs of becoming a supreme martial artist someday by engaging in boxing
bouts with even bigger boys during fiestas and weekend joust. Instead of the 
standardized leather boxing gloves used nowadays, they used the rather bulky 
though then popular "maong" cloth boxing gloves stuffed with "kapok".
     While a teener, in the late 60's, Monching was fond of playing basketball,
his favorite game. His other sport included hunting, swimming and fishing but 
martial arts, particularly "Aikido", never entered his mind.
     In 1963, Monching was 19 then, and in his 4th year at the Plaridel High 
School, when he met Benjamin Galarpe, his classmate and a brownbelt aikidoist 
at that time. Benjamin, an american citizen, turned out to be a native of Ilo-
ilo, the town of Monching. Benjamin, who left Guam for the Philippines became a 
good friend of Monching. Benjamin put up a gym in his San Andres Bukid resi-
dence. He is now considered as "the Father of Aikido in the Philippines". Mon-
ching had no interest in learning the art but eventually, his friend was able 
to encouraged him to learn Aikido. They soon put up a gym at Rizal Avenue, and 
later on at Dapitan Street, in Sampaloc, Manila.
     In 1966, Sensei Koichi Tohei of Japan came and promoted the first three 
Filipinos in traditional Aikido (Aikikai style)to the rank of 1st Dan 
Blackbelt, which composed of Jessie Garcia, Ernie Talag and Ambrosio Gavileno.
Two years later, in 1968, Monching was again promoted to higher rank. His two 
colleagues failed to attend the rites. Monching was the first and only Filipi-
no at that time promoted to 2nd Dan Blackbelt in traditional Aikido. It was 
also during that time that he graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Science 
in Criminology from the Philippine College of Criminology (PCCR) in Manila.
     Later that year, he founded the Philippine Aikido Club in Baclaran, 
Paranaque, Metro Manila. A year later, he transferred it to Quiapo, Manila and 
renamed it to Philippine Aikido Sports Association Inc, (PASAI) since it al-
ready acquired several branches all over the Manila Metropolitan area.
     The Master also studied the basics of the tactical sef-defense of judo,
and karate while still in college but learned the rudiments of tradi-
nal arnis only from an old man from Pangasinan province and another one from 
the Visayas, who happened to be the teacher at the Doce Pares Club, in Cebu
City. Now, the Master has modified the style he learned from them to make it  
more effective in street fighting and called it "modified arnis. This
"modified arnis" is different from the others because it has Aikido movements 
in it.
     From the combined fighting features of boxing, karate and aikido, the 
Master has also created a new kind of combative art which he called Bokaido.
It is a term coined from the first syllables of boxing and karate, and the
last three letters of Aikido.
     He enjoys Aikido, accordoing to him, because the group (students & ins-
tructors) seem to be merrier or litterally much more harmonious with each other. 
Aikido has helped improve his self-discipline because he became more confident, 
brave and wherever he goes, he is always relaxed. It helps in physical fitness
also and he claims that in food, he likes soup & vegetables. He doesn't smoke 
and he takes 2 to 3 bottles of beer occasionally.
     In Aikido, minimal or no force is needed to subdue or neutralize your op-
ponent. Even ladies, the elderly and kids as well can indulge in it. "It is 
the power of the mind that works". KI or "inner strength" is essential in Aiki-
do. 
     Several seminars were conducted during those times. One of which was the 
seminar conducted by Sensei Maruyama. Sensei Koichi Tohei was responsible for 
sending Maruyama, and it was through the gesture of Shinshin Toitsu Aikido Ki
Society. There was a plan then to put up a Ki Society in the Philippines.
     Master Monching later on, together with other clubs and organizations 
formed the Aikido Association of the Philippines (AAP) where he is the presi-
dent, to unite all Aikido clubs all over the country. The founding members of 
AAP were; PASAI, Philippine Aikikai, Shinbu Dojo, Makati YMCA Aikido Club and 
the Martial Arts Training Center of the Philippines or MATCOP. 
     In 1992, he founded the Philippine Combat Aikido Federation, Inc or PCAF, 
which has 37 chapters all over the country. The main dojo of Combat Aikido  
is located at Cubao in Quezon City. Master Monching has transformed traditional 
Aikido into Combat Aikido. The Master's rationale was;

     "Combat Aikido is more adaptive to actual street fighting with its modified
combative self-defense techniques. It is based on the Filipino culture of figh-
ting which is different from that of other countries in the sense that it is 
more practical and can be used right away in street fighting more effectively."

     The primary goal of Combat Aikido is to enable its practitioner to defend 
himself against any assailant especially in street fighting. Therefore, it tea-
ches only those techniques which have been proven to be effective in combat and 
discard those which seemed to be less effective. The Combat Aikidoist does not 
go against the force of the opponent, but the very force of the opponent is 
what he uses to either throw or pin the opponent down to the ground.
     There were lots of blackbelters that the dojos of Combat Aikido have pro-
duced. Some are foreigners, politicians, movie personalities, military men, 
including bodyguards of well known businessmen and politicians. Men and women,
young and old, the rich and the poor, have enrolled in the dojo to learn this
art. Many schools and companies have also tied partnerships with Combat Aikido 
for their employees and students.
     Master Monching married the former Edith Gealone, who hails from Sorsogon 
and a Combat Aikido blackbelt herself. They bore six children, all are Combat 
Aikidoist.