Text and photos by Peter Paul Duran
DESPITE having a glaring handicap, Jiar Castillo, an aspiring fighter in Fight Farm—the first RealiTV MMA series to be aired by ABS-CBN Sports + Action, doesn’t consider his blind right eye a drawback at all.
“Alam mo, hindi ko rin iniisip na disadvantage (‘yung mata ko). Matagal ko na rin kase naisip na ‘yan ‘yung sasabihin ng tao (nu’ng sumali ako),” said Castillo, one of the 16 fighters raring to make it big in the competition.
He said that he’s been living with only one eye since early childhood when the unfortunate incident happened.
“Two years old ako nu’n, tapos may tinatanggal akong sinulid sa pajama ko. Ginamitan ko ng abre lata para mas mabilis kong matastas” he recalled.
“Pagkahila ko, biglang tumusok sa mata ko ‘yung abre lata na hawak ko. Sabi ng doktor hindi na daw mababalik paningin ko (sa kanang mata),” added the 28-year-old Castillo.
But the soft-spoken fighter from Quezon City said that he’s learned to cope with his disability, especially now that he’s fighting competitively.
“Nag-adjust na lang ako para ‘di maging disadvantage para sa akin, so lumipat ako ng stance,” said Castillo, who is naturally right handed, but switched to southpaw to guard his right eye. “Atsaka nasa turo din kasi ni Bruce Lee ‘yun, na ‘put your strong side forward’”
Castillo, a self-confessed Bruce Lee fan, said that he was inspired to really pursue the sport when he watched videos of the movie star on the internet.
“Nag-download ako ng (videos tungkol) kay Bruce Lee. Ginawa kong basis ‘yung style niya. Binasa ko na rin lahat ng libro niya lalo na ‘yung ‘The Tao of Jeet Kunedo,’ ‘yung mga conditioning at mga techniques,” added Castillo, who only started competing at a high level three years ago.
He also said that while reading the book, he executed the moves and training by Bruce Lee at home, which explains the discipline that he shows in his craft.
Castillo, who gave up his career as a graphic artist before joining Fight Farm, said that more than talent, mental toughness plays a big role to win the whole thing.
“Ako kasi hindi ko iniisip na kalaban ko sila, pero ang iniisip ko ang kalaban ko ay ‘yung sarili ko. Kapag natalo ka, hindi mo sisihin kalaban mo, sisihin mo sarili mo kasi ‘di ka mentally prepared.”
Castillo will take on Norman Agcopra for the first fight night of the series.
Fight Farm will debut Aug.14 at 7 p.m.