Navigating a world full of cameras and scripts, Elijah Villongco expresses his identity through lyrics and ancient combat practices.

Villongco is a 19-year-old student at ECC with many passions. He currently resides in Torrance where he works as a martial arts instructor to a Filipino martial arts studio, Pamana Kali.

Pamana Kali, a Filipino martial arts school, teaches both Filipino stick fighting and Indonesian Silat, a ground fighting martial art. Pamana translates to heritage and Kali refers to the martial arts practiced.

The goal of the school was to integrate Filipino culture into martial arts.

“Pamana Kali taught me to be more disciplined in my work and helped strengthen my memory, overall kept me physically fit, and gave me a good work ethic,” Villongco said.

Forms and sparring are the two main practices of Filipino martial arts. Villongco said he was able to focus more on forms during quarantine.

“Fortunately for myself, I am considered an educator so I was considered an essential worker and was able to practice in the studio alone,” Villongco said.

With Pamana Kali, Villongco’s his boss, Alvin Catacutan, approached him and asked if he could take on some administrative work. Villongco accepted and learned how to operate a small business.

“He has kept me driven. His dream was to start the school and give the best representation of martial arts and Filipino culture, and I think he is accomplishing that every day,” Villongco said.

Catacutan resides in Culver City and is also a Filipino martial arts instructor. He first met Villongco when he was brought to the class in 2019.

“Elijah’s father brought him in to try out the class and he signed up right away. He never did any martial arts or athletics before. I promised his dad I would teach him how to protect himself,” Catacutan said.

Catacutans’ job required him to provide an environment where people can discover themselves and appreciate Filipino martial arts.

“I bring resources for the students such as through music and dance. We also provide self-defense seminars of other styles of Filipino martial arts,” Catacutan said.

Villongco also claimed that Pamana Kali is California’s only martial arts studio that was created four years ago. The first class was delivered through an Instagram Live.

Catacutan has also provided a platform for Villongco to express his culture through Pamana Kali.

“Elijah stands out because he has a firm grasp of who he is, his lineage, and his ancestry,” Catacutan said.

Catacutan said Villongco is a very good communicator and enthusiastically explores and searches for opportunities to do the things he does.

“Seeing someone born and raised in America that has the depth of knowledge and appreciation for his ancestral heritage will [serve as an impetus] for success in the future,” Catacutan said.

Aside from his martial arts interest, Villongco also is also the director of public outreach for El Camino’s Scene One Film Club. His current role is posting on social media, keeping people up to speed on the club and promoting it.

“I love taking people in a world outside of their own,” Vilongco said.

With this passion, Villongco found that he enjoyed directing and acting in movies that involve fantasy.

“Scene One Film Club offers a variety of opportunities for students who are trying to get into the film industry. It offers a chance to make your own film, to make prompts, and get creative with what we have to offer,” Villongco said.

The Film Club has taught him not only how to run a set as well as what it’s like to be on set, but has also taught him how to work with other people. He even developed new skills such as operating a camera.

Chase Tarascio, a TA for the Film department and the Astronomy lab at ECC, taught Villongco the value of lighting in film and helped him improve his acting abilities.

Tarascio has produced ‘Production Crew’ which is a four-part mini film series, and is currently working on a film project, Tales Never Told.

“I first met Elijah on the set of Production Crew. At the time, Elijah was still in high school. We met through friends then we started working together after he graduated and came to El Camino,” Tarascio said.

Tarascio was the president of Scene One Film Club in 2018. He has been able to support Villongco in filmmaking through the lessons he learned as president of the club.

“The role required a great collaborative effort in being able to work with a lot of people. I know this has certainly helped Elijah in the long run with keeping the connections and working with different people,” Tarascio said.

Since Villongco has been a part of Scene One since 2017 as a nonparticipating member, Tarascio has been able to see his growth at ECC.

“When I first met Elijah he was just a kid. I have seen him become a wonderful young man and gradually evolve into this really kind, caring, and incredibly excitable, and enthusiastic guy,” Tarascio said.

He was able to support Villongco as a TA through the camera and lighting class.

“Elijah was an actor in my film. I’ve been able to see Elijah grow and be more confident in a leadership scenario while leading a technical environment,” Tarascio said.

Tarascio also said Villongco is fun to work with as a filmmaker because of the energy he gives out.

“In all of the projects he gets so involved in the process. There’s this film, I worked on at Long Beach, I brought him to play a high fantasy bard in a tavern and he decided he was going to learn the instrument the lyre for a few days then he goes all in such an enthusiastic manner that is so contagious to everyone around him,” Tarascio said.

Tarascio also found that the energy and work ethic Villongco brings to set will prove his success in the film industry.

“He is willing to put himself in a position to learn and to grow and that is eternally valuable not just in filmmaking but also in life,” Tarascio said.

Among these talents, Villongco said he is hoping to fulfill his passion for music. He plays the ukulele and is currently learning the lyre, a medieval instrument that he said he had to learn within two weeks.

“One of my favorite projects I directed would be “Two and a Half Cops,” which won Best People Choice for Pictures for Scene One Film Club,” Villongco said.

As a director, the biggest obstacle one could face was scheduling and working around people’s unpredictable schedules, while as an actor, a challenge would be finding work, Villongco said.

Villongco is currently directing an interview project with Scene One, highlighting the history of previous and current cabinet members.

“My goal was to get them back out here and make connections,” Villongco said.

Michael Prieto, a film major at ECC, is a student who works with Villongco on as the Film Club’s president.

“I met Elijah earlier this year and started working with him on projects,” Prieto said.

Prieto describes Villongco as the kindest person he has ever met.

“He is a very sweet person, he loves to laugh and make others laugh. Something I think is really good about Eli is even though he can be nice, he can also be blunt with you. He wants to see everyone at their best point,” Prieto said.

Martin Gonzalez, director of technology for the Film Club, first met Villongco in February during the spring semester.

“I helped Elijah by making projects and getting him involved as a lead actor,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said that Villongco takes initiative and that his upbeat attitude will fit in nicely with the film business.

Film Club treasurer Keala Fitiseman first met Villongco at a council meeting for the club cabinet and also shared a class with him.

“I also had him in my acting classes so I would see him a lot of assignments,” Fitisemanu said. “He is confident enough to do things because of his passion.”

Inter-Club Council representative for the Film Club, Hailee Pitschke, said that Villongco has qualities that are rare in most people.

“Elijah is very funny on the spot. He has a magnetism that I think is rare for most people. He is one of those people that when you meet him and when you hit off you’re just sitting there laughing for hours and I think that will help him get really far,” Pitschke said.

In his free time, Villongco enjoys spending time with friends who are also filmmakers, such as the Film Club members. He also enjoys practicing martial arts with the goal to train his body to withstand work and be physically fit.

Villongco said martial arts movies have been a staple point in his career, and that he intends to use his abilities with film and martial arts to help people get back on track whether that means getting fit or adapting to a daily routine.

“The arts have been with me ever since I was young. I love telling stories and communicating with people,” Villongco said. “Oddly enough, it’s like having your own individual world.”

Having studied at ECC throughout COVID, Villongco said the biggest takeaway from the pandemic was that he could never give up no matter what happened.

“There’s only one person that’s going to fulfill your dream and that is you,” Villongco said.