Peoples Tonight (Saturday – July 31)
OFF TO PALAWAN
Finally, after more than 15 years, I’m back in Palawan. The first time I was here was during one of the Lakbay-Aral sojourn when I was still a Barangay Kagawad.
In all those long years, I have longed of coming back and now that I’m here, this could not have happened at the most appropriate time like now that my god-brother Gov. Baham Mitra is already the province’s top executive.
It’s my third day here and today, Saturday July 31st is the annual general membership meeting of the Greater Palawan Gamefowl Breeders, Inc. with top honcho from the National Federation of Gamefowl Breeders Fred Katigbak as guests of honor.
Headed by the amiable Vic “El Bigote” Setias, GPGBI is now composed of about 80 active breeders following the legacy of their most popular sabungero ever, the late House Speaker Monching Mitra whose love for the fightingcock is second to none.
Major part of today’s proceedings is the Thunderbird Bigtime Seminar which will feature Gov. Baham Mitra himself and Palawan’s most recent sabong hero, Engr. Sonnie Magtibay – who bagged the championship of the 2,417-entry Bakbakan 10-Stag Derby in December 2009 and then after only 55 days captured the 267-entry 2010 World Slasher Cup 8-Cock International Derby.
Dra. Beng Dalisay – Thunderbird’s Regional Promotions Coordinator for Luzon South and Game Fowl Specialists Dr. Lawrence Agnes are also in town to supervise the second part of the program.
In addition, are something that has never been done before, but Vic thought about it, called me and I did my part. Two special workshops will be held : 1) Sentenciador Workshop with highly respected cockfights referee Berong Javellana as lecturer and; 2) Matchmaker Workshop with veteran matchmaker Fred Canumay as speaker.
FOR THE BETTER
According to Mr. Setias, GPGBI has grown four-folds since their original group of 20 rooster-raisers bind themselves about three years ago and more have signified their intentions to climb on board. Their membership to the National Federation of Gamefowl Breeders has also been a major factor a major attraction, especially to those wanting to participate in the annual Bakbakan.
GPGBI’s Vice President Jun Ortega observed that the quality of gamefowls among their members have also improved so much, that while in the pasts, Palawanons would rather bet on visiting entries that on their own kababayans, it’s now the other way around.
GPGBI now looks beyond Palawan as they go out to test the mettle of their breeds in Metro Manila. On November 30, Vic Setias and Bobby Fernandez of Zamboanga have agreed to co-promote the Clash of the Islands (one day) 5-Stag Derby at the newly-renovated Roligon Mega Cockpit wherein I have returned as General Manager just two months ago.
BAKBAKAN AT ROLIGON
I am also happy and proud to announce that the National Federation of Gamefowl Breeders have informed me that they have considered and discussed my invitation and that they have decided to hold four separate derby days at Roligon on November 13, 18, 25 & December 2.
BANTAY-SABONG REPORTS
For our Bantay-Sabong report of the week, the horizon looks grim for Spain’s glamorous and well-paid Matadors after a region in Spain voted to ban bullfighting. The animal rights wackos continue to conquer more territories and believe me or look around you, they are here in the Philippines already targeting the eradication of sabong.
Here’s the news excerpts :
Spain's Catalonia Bans Bullfighting
AOL News (July 28) -- Lawmakers in the Catalonia region of Spain voted after an emotional debate today to ban bullfighting, a decision that some hope will signal the end of the controversial spectacle throughout the country.
Protesters who believe bullfighting is a blood sport and cruel to animals appeared outside the local parliament building in Barcelona today covered in fake blood and carrying posters of bleeding bulls.
"It's time for this victory," Eric Gallego, a spokesman for the anti-bullfighting group Prou (Catalan for "Enough") told AOL News from inside the parliament building after the vote when cheers were breaking out. "We are here for the bulls, for the animals. We hope this will be the start of the end of this bloody sport."
Prou collected about 180,000 signatures from Catalans on a petition that led to today's vote, called "historic" by Spain's biggest newspaper, El Pais.
The ban takes effect in 2012. The group now plans to campaign to end bullfighting in other areas of Spain where the sport is even more popular, such as Madrid, Pamplona and Seville.
But Spanish conservatives and bullfighting aficionados, which include well-known figures like Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, decried today's vote as striking at the heart of a tradition inextricably intertwined with the country's culture.
http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/spains-catalonia-bans-bullfighting-in-historic-vote/19569358
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