JEDDAH, 4 July 2003 — Various Filipino karatedo organizations in the Kingdom have elected Ricardo M. Tacay Hanshi as president of the Philippine Karatedo Federation (PKF), Saudi Arabia Chapter. Tacay is currently president and headmaster of the Saudi Arabia chapter of the Davao City-based Philippine Shotokan Karatedo Association International (PSKAI).
He was a member of the Philippine team that saw action during the 4th World Karatedo Championship held last Dec. 4-5 in Tokyo, Japan, where he defeated world number two Gunther Mohr of Germany.
Takay is holds the martial arts rank of 8th Dan Red & White Belt, which accounts for his title hanshi, a Japanese term for master. He is the father of current national open weight karate champion Bern Rexander Tacay, who is himself a shihan, or a martial arts teacher of high rank.