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In the sprawling hierarchy of the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA), martial arts legend Stephen Fernandez easily elicits respect due to his approachable personality, emphatic listening and diplomatic skills to get even the most intransigent fellow to meet him at least halfway. A former collegiate and national champion, two-time Olympian, and university as well as Philippine team coach, Master “Pen” remains as down-to-earth as he was 38 years ago when he first learned the Korean martial art at a small, suburban dojang in Metro Manila. Today, he faces daunting challenges while helping manage the PTA to ensure that Taekwondo remains busy and relevant to the changing times.
By Joel Lacsamana5
22 ratings
In the sprawling hierarchy of the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA), martial arts legend Stephen Fernandez easily elicits respect due to his approachable personality, emphatic listening and diplomatic skills to get even the most intransigent fellow to meet him at least halfway. A former collegiate and national champion, two-time Olympian, and university as well as Philippine team coach, Master “Pen” remains as down-to-earth as he was 38 years ago when he first learned the Korean martial art at a small, suburban dojang in Metro Manila. Today, he faces daunting challenges while helping manage the PTA to ensure that Taekwondo remains busy and relevant to the changing times.