2010 the Year of the Tiger

CARREO by Rolando S. Luzong

Peoples Tonight (December 30, 2009)

2010 the Year of the Tiger

First, let me greet you all cockers out there, a win-full year in 2010.

2010 is the Year of the Metal Tiger in the Chinese calendar. Tiger years are expected to be a time of great upheavals and big changes.

For a start, consider this, the 2010 Chinese New Year begins on February 14, 2010 and will end on February 2, 2011. So, we can expect two kinds of explosions on February 13. There will be the loud explosions of firecrackers (invented by the Chinese themselves) to welcome the Year of the Tiger and the ‘silent explosions’ of lovers to welcome the 2010 Valentine’s Day, as my good friend Joey Dy of Pasay Cockpit would agree.

This early, we all know that 2010 will be a year of great changes.

We will have a new President of the Republic after nine years. Who will he or she be? That big question is what we will answer come May and please answer it wisely. For us cockers, how about someone who is closer to our Sport. Gibo and Noynoy are both nephews of sabong greats cousins Danding Cojuangco – top hinco of San Miguel Corp. and Peping Cojuangco – Philippine Olympic Committee Chairman, while, Manny Villar’s late father-in-law is a cocker and his brother-in-law is Las Piñas Coliseum owner and well-respected gamefowl breeder Nene Aguilar who is incidentally is the Hall of Famer Mayor of Las Piñas City.

In 2010, ‘Congressman’ Pacquiao may get his eighth title to finally cement his place in history where no other boxer can ever go. With the Pacquiao – Mayweather dream match slowly falling apart, Bob Arum and Team Pacquaio now set their eyes on WBA Super Welterweight champion Yuri Foreman, who if Pacquiao beats will give him his 8^th world title. To hell with the Mayweathers. They can curse each other and blame Golden Boy Promotions for their blunder move, after the judge makes the decision on the lawsuit that Pacquiao is filing against them.

The Tiger Growls Early

In the cockfighting scene, 2010 is expected to hit the ground running with several blockbuster events lined up in the first quarter of the Tiger year.

Set on January 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15 at the Century Game Club in Banawa, Cebu is the 2009 Annual Sinulog 6-Cock Derby.

Immediately after the Sinulog derby is the 2010 World Slasher Cup I 8-Cock International Derby at the Araneta Coliseum on January 18, 19, 20, 21 & 23 which is developing into another record-breaker with the number of entries expected to pass the 250 mark. As of press time, requests for cockhouse reservations have already reached 235.

On January 25, 27, 20 & February 1, it’s San Juan Coliseum’s time to sizzle with the 2010 SJC 7M International 8-Cock Derby.

Action shifts to Iloilo with the staging of the 2010 Annual Candelaria 7-Cock Derby at Iloilo Coliseum on January 28, 29, 30, February 1 & 2.

Set on the second week of February is the 2010 Chinese Derby in Dumaguete City.

To close the first quarter is the 2010 8M Araw ng Dabaw Derby in Davao City.

SABONG LIBRARY & MUSEUM

There have been a lot of talks and attempts to establish a sabong library and museum, but there’s always something that is lacking. And these are the materials such as magazines, books, videos, old trophies & plaques plus old photos about sabong. If there will be enough of these things on hand, finding a place to put them will be a breeze.

So, may I start the collecting process by asking you for old magazines, photos or books that you maybe ready to part ways with so that they can be put into good use by being a part of the collection for the sabong library.

You can send your donations to P. O. Box No. 103, Marikina Central Post Office, 1800 Marikina City.

HAPPY MARRIED LIFE to newlyweds Kiko & Yeye Torres who said their “I dos” last Sunday, December 22 in Bacolor, Pampanga with Sonny Lagon as the principal sponsor together with Congressman Del de Guzman of Marikina City who is currently running for the mayoralty seat.

SABONG-FRIENDLY CANDIDATES

CARREO by Rolando S. Luzong

Peoples Tonight (December 20, 2009)

SABONG-FRIENDLY CANDIDATES

Election fever is upon us. Again, we will be able to exercise our right in choosing the leaders that will lead us, govern us and will formulate and implement policies that will affect us all.

Us, sabungeros or those in the sabong community should be on the watch for the candidates, local or national, who we can expect will support or will be friendly to cockfighting or will back any movement or effort to stop cockfighting or put it in a bad light.

The first candidates that come to mind are cocker-breeder senatorial candidates Congressman Rodolfo “Ompong” Plaza and Monmon Mitra who are both sons of Filipino cockers who are regarded as among the pillars of Philippine cockfighting.

The late Congressman Democrito “D O” O. Plaza is credited for bringing into the country several American cocking greats and for years was staging his own international derby promotion in Butuan City. A generous man, DO is known for giving breeding stocks to up and coming breeders to help them improve their lines. As a cocker, he is regarded as a perfectionist which is actually how his son Ompong is, as a cocker-breeder. He would not use a knife (tari) twice that at the time of his death is said to have a drum-full of tari soaked in oil. Like his son

The late Speaker Monching Mitra gave us the phenomenal Mitra fowls. He was the seating Speaker of the House of Representatives when the Omnibus Local Government Code of the Philippines was signed into law, wherein, a very simple provision gave the local government units full authority over sabong which eventually resulted in the huge increase in the number of cockpits nationwide and the tripling of derbies and other cockfighting promotions whole year round.

However, it’s not only the Mitras and the Plazas that have contributed to the status that sabong now enjoys, but there are also the Cojuangcos (Danding and Peping) – uncles of both Noynoy Aquino and Gibo Teodoro.

Even Manny Villar’s heart should not be that far from sabong considering that his late father-in-law is a sabungero. His brother-in-law, in case you don’t know, is highly respected cocker Mayor Nene Aguilar of Las Piñas City who also owns and operates the cockpit in that city.

Former President Joseph Estrada is not known to be a cocker, but is definitely in the company of sabungeros from the time he was mayor of San Juan until he became the country’s most overwhelmingly voted President. Names like Ambet & Georgie Antonio, Atong Ang and of course Chavit Singson had been written or mentioned with the name Erap.

Sen. Richard Gordon is never known to have been a cocker, but his mortal political enemies, the Magsaysays, are. JV Magsaysay who is the President of the Zambales, Batangas & Olongapo Gamefowl Breederrs Association (ZABONG) is the husband of Congresswoman Mitos Magsaysay and the son of former Zambales Governor Vic Magsagysay – himself an avid cockfighter.

Among the Vice Presidential candidates, Mar Roxas is a nephew of World Slasher Cup host and well-respected cocker Jorge “Nene” Araneta, while incumbent Mayor of Makati Jojo Binay used to have a rooster farm in Rosario, Batangas.

Edu Manzano has been seen inside Metro Manila cockpits and has a lot of cocker-friends.

Based on the anti-cockfighting ordinances that Bayani Fernando implemented in Marikina during his stint as Mayor, such as prohibiting the cording of roosters by the roadside and confiscation of roosters along with stray dogs, as well as the closing down of the famous Marikina Valley Cockpit, I don’t see him to be of service to sabong and the sabungeros if he wins.

Worst is, I believe, Sen. Loren Legarda who is not only an environmentalist, but also an animal rights activist. During his broadcasting days in her show Pep Talk, animal protection is among the regular topic.

Let’s choose the right candidate that will serve us. Someone who is equipped with education, knowledge, integrity, willingness to serve and has a proper understanding of Filipino culture and tradition such as sabong.

We don’t need someone like that Governor who ordered that sabong should be staged only during Sundays in his province.

Anyone who is wanting to be our leader, but does not possessed an open-mindedness about sabong as a unique Filipino culture, does not deserve our votes.

MISA DE GALLO

CARREO by Rolando S. Luzong

Peoples Tonight (December 16, 2008)

MISA DE GALLO

Simbang gabi or Misa de Gallo began this morning, but do you know why it was called Misa de Gallo?

Gallo means cock or rooster in Spanish and Misa de Gallo is also called the Rooster’s Mass, which actually pertains to the nine-day novena that begins in the dawn of December 16 up to Christmas eve. It was so called Misa de Gallo because it is held at the time when the roosters start crowing.

Like in the many facets of Philippine culture, we can see that even religious activities show how popular is cockfighting or sabong is in the Philippines.

SABONG IN ELECTIONS

Even in Philippine politics, sabong influence is very much felt. A person may ask another “Sino ba ang manok mo”, which would mean “Who are you going to vote for”.

Or “Pumapalo sa survey ang manok mo” which means “You’re bet is gaining in the surveys”.

SABONG IN OUR DAILY LIVES

A man who is seen courting a girl maybe said to be “gumigiri” and a person who has poor vision at night is called “matang-manok”.

A person who may say “Taglugon ako ngayon”, to signify that he is jobless or has no money. Taglugon means molting season.

CONGRATULATIONS ENGR. MOY

Engr. Moises Almuete, Jr. or simply Moy to his friends is starting to make his presence felt, in explosive fashion.

After capturing a share of championship of the UGBA Big Event One-Day 8-Stag Derby of the United Gamecock Breeders Association held at Makati Coliseum on the 3^rd week of November together with Cong. Lawrence Wacnang, Engr. Almuete brought his act to Cebu and with a score of 7 wins and 1 loss bagged solo victory in the NFGB Presidents Cup 1-Day 8-Stag Derby held at the New Talisay Cockpit in which 27 of the 29 presidents of NFGB member-associations took part.

Almuete fought a fleet of Sweater blend of Bruce & Dink; Dan Gary Roundhead with 20 Grand Kelso & Gilmore Hatch; hOward Belk Claret x Dan Gray Roundhead-Hatch plus Leiper /Blueface Hatch x Kelso.

SAN JUAN COLISEUM ANNOUNCES BANDING

FOR 2010 RAMBULAN 1 & 2

Inspired by the success of their Rambulan Stag Derbies, San Jaun Coliseum has announced the schedule of banding for next year , 2010.

For Rambulan - 1 (Off Season Breeding) those that will be accepted are those hatched in November, December & January. Banding will start on the 1^st week of
February to March . This is for Luzon & Bacolod only.

For Rambulan – 2, those hatched on the last week of January to February, banding will start in April up to May for nationwide banding.

Those interested to join, may contact the following : SJC Office - 02-7255369;
Ariel - 0917-8070667; Maricar - 0917-8041691; Precy - 0917-5137664; Lheslie - 0917-8931952; Suzette - 0917-8264018 and Bess - 0917-5127363

Banding fee is P10.00 per cockerel.

COCKERS CARE - Peoples Tonight

Welcome to my new column in Peoples Tonight which will be coming out twice a week every Wednesday & Saturday

CARREO by Rolando S. Luzong
Saturday - August 15, 2009

COCKERS CARE

First, allow me to salute our Editor-in-Chief Gus Villanueva for reviving this column; my long-time friend Managing Editor Ninoy Sofranes for his assistance and of course Sports Editor Ed Andaya for giving cockfighting the space.

Hot topic today within the cockfighting community is the announcement of the National Federation of Gamefowl Breeders that they will be building classrooms from the proceeds of the forthcoming 2009 Bakbakan 10-Stag National Derby. Cockers are proud of it and non-cockers were surprised by it.

Although the NFGB decision serves as a good example of the sabungero’s social involvement, I want you to know that the cockers’ generosity and charity have been practiced by individual cockers, associations or cockpits, in so many ways.

The internet-based Cyberfriends, since its founding almost ten years ago, have brought smiles, hope and good memories to the orphans, abandoned and special children and elderly people under the care of Hospicio de San Jose. The Cavite Cybercockers Club or C4 have been supporting an orphanage ran by nuns in the province. And the Del Monte Cockpit Arena with the help of their regular derby promoters has helped hundreds of students finish high school or college.

After the Pinatubo eruption which rendered countless of families homeless and with no means of livelihood, the Philippine Cockpit Association hosted a special 2-day 4-cock derby. It was at the Casa Marcos Restaurant in San Juan were the turnover of the check to then Olongapo Mayor Richard Gordon took place. The old San Juan Coliseum, operated by Atong Ang at the time, also staged a derby for the Pinatubo victims. Four truckloads of relief goods were delivered to Porac, Pampanga and other areas accompanied by a busload of kristo or bet-takers and cockpit vendors who assisted in the distribution.

The Filipino cockers have done so many good things other than just breeding and fighting roosters. It’s just unfortunate that rather than these highly commendable actions, it’s the five million peso bet of a government official or the three million pago of a boxing champ that gets printed or broadcasted.

This early, we congratulate the NFGB and we encouraged all those who will be fighting in the 2009 Bakbakan to put in a second, third or more entries. The more entries will mean more income for Bakbakan 2009 and of course more classrooms for our children.


BACOOR’S GAMEFOWL OFFICE

I was at Bacoor Municipal Hall in Cavite last Thursday and while waiting for the Public Information Officer to meet us, I noticed a sign that says GAMEFOWL OFFICE. Curios, I went to see what it meant and my guess was right, it was the office that oversees cockfighting operations in the municipality.

The clerk Ms. Lags Tortona let me in and the first thing I noticed were the Thunderbird Warbreed posters pasted on the wall which obviously were placed there to give the office a ‘sabong ambience’. Lags was apologetic that her boss Ms. Lazaro was out attending to official business, but she proudly informed me that their humble office have collected and have remitted to the municipal coffers around P700,000 in just four months from the two cockpits operating in Bacoor, namely Cavite Colseum and Talaba Cockpit.

“Naku Sir, ang laking tulong ng sabong. Kung alam lang ng mga tao, magpapasalamat sila sa mga sabunngero”, Lags told me.

In the book Cockfights : A Case Sudy, Scott Guggenheim, wrote about the income derived from cockfighting by the Spanish government during their reign of the country : “At a time when the net profit from the tobacco monopoly, the single most profitable enterprise in the entire Colony, set a record of 620,000 pesos, the annual profit from the Manila cockpit alone was between P20,000-P30,000…”

If sabong was bringing that much to the government during that time, how much more today when cockfighting is at its utmost popularity and acceptance.

Let’s just hope that other municipalities, cities and provinces will be as open as Bacoor and its good chief executive Mayor Strike Revilla in reporting how much cockfighting has helped the community.

CONGRATULATIONS to Rey Magbuhos (Buhangin entry) of Quezon for winning the championship of the P15.5 Rambulan 9-Cock Nationwide Deby. Rey a graduate of the TJT Cocking Academy and a certified Thundebird loyalist.