BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has approved a resolution prohibiting cockpit operators and promoters in the city from compelling or coercing cockfight patrons to place their bets exclusively through electronic betting machines.
Authored by Councilor Dindo Ramos, the measure—approved by the city council last week—ensures that bettors retain the option to wager either through machines or the traditional hand-signal system, commonly known as the kumarera method.
The resolution also mandates that no form of discrimination shall be imposed between machine bettors and traditional bettors in terms of location, gate fees, or any other means, in accordance with existing laws, local ordinances, and Filipino customs and traditions.
Cockfighting, or sabong, is a long-standing Filipino tradition deeply embedded in the cultural and social fabric of communities, including Bacolod. The city government recognizes the importance of preserving the customary practices associated with the sport, particularly the traditional betting system, which forms part of the heritage and identity of local enthusiasts.
Ramos noted that some cockpit operators and promoters have reportedly been pressuring patrons to use electronic or machine-based betting systems, thereby depriving them of the freedom to engage in traditional betting.
Such practices, he said, violate the free will of patrons and may even be considered discriminatory—especially when differences in access, location, or gate fees are imposed to favor machine-based bettors over traditional ones.
Presidential Decree No. 449, or the Cockfighting Law of 1974, along with relevant local ordinances, requires that cockfighting operations observe traditional and customary practices consistent with public morals, customs, and traditions./PN
