Pre Spanish
Cock fighting is said to be the world's oldest spectator sport. It goes back
6,000 years in Persia. The sport was popular in ancient times in India, China, Persia, and other
Eastern countries where the jungle fowl (bankivoid) and Oriental type of chicken are endemic.
Bulang or cockfighting has always been a popular past-time of the Ilongos. This was discovered by the Spanish when they reached Iloilo in 1500's watching two roosters fighting ( sampokay ) each other by holding them together to initiate a fight ( pa-irot) since cocks possess congenital aggression toward all males of the same species. The practice severing the comb, wattles ( padong) to remove their vulnerabilities.
At time , gamefowls did not use a blade ( tahod) attached to fowl's feet during the fight engaged in the so-called “pa-uwak” where the outcome of the fight was determined by the flight of the losing combatant since not all fight leads to death.
Cock fighting is said to be the world's oldest spectator sport. It goes back
6,000 years in Persia. The sport was popular in ancient times in India, China, Persia, and other
Eastern countries where the jungle fowl (bankivoid) and Oriental type of chicken are endemic.
Bulang or cockfighting has always been a popular past-time of the Ilongos. This was discovered by the Spanish when they reached Iloilo in 1500's watching two roosters fighting ( sampokay ) each other by holding them together to initiate a fight ( pa-irot) since cocks possess congenital aggression toward all males of the same species. The practice severing the comb, wattles ( padong) to remove their vulnerabilities.
At time , gamefowls did not use a blade ( tahod) attached to fowl's feet during the fight engaged in the so-called “pa-uwak” where the outcome of the fight was determined by the flight of the losing combatant since not all fight leads to death.
SPanish Era
The Spaniards promoted bulang because
they earned revenues from it through the imposition of taxes. It became a Spanish addition to every towns fiesta celebration. Spanish occupation began to use blades and permanent arenas called Gallera or Galleria in local language " Bulangan " . Spanish words are incorporated such as Llamado ( win) and Dejado ( lose) called upon by Sentenciador ( referree). Cockfighting spread to Mexico ,
Cuba and Peru through Manila-Acapulco trade. ( Photo Hombres Iloilo 1880)
The Spaniards promoted bulang because
they earned revenues from it through the imposition of taxes. It became a Spanish addition to every towns fiesta celebration. Spanish occupation began to use blades and permanent arenas called Gallera or Galleria in local language " Bulangan " . Spanish words are incorporated such as Llamado ( win) and Dejado ( lose) called upon by Sentenciador ( referree). Cockfighting spread to Mexico ,
Cuba and Peru through Manila-Acapulco trade. ( Photo Hombres Iloilo 1880)
American Period
When Americans arrived , they were fascinated of this Ilongos game being brand-new to them. They documented it by taking photo. ( Photo left).
Post-World War II - It's Persistence
At least three bulangans or cockpits was operating in Iloilo City.
1. Arena located in Jaro, near the railway station, and was associated with Cesar Ledesma and Felicito Araneta.
2. Arena in Jalandoni St. owned by Amador Araneta and managed by Cecilio Hechanova.
3. Arena in Lapaz owned by Peping Locsin and a certain Hosillos. This particular bulangan was, for some time, managed by Chito Tinsay, a very familiar name in the business of
cockfighting.
Other Cockpit Arena were built such as those in
1. Gallera De Oton
2. Gallera De Santa Barbara
3. Gallera De Leganes
4. Gallera De Banate
6. Gallera De Barotac Nuevo
7. Gallera De Ajuy
8. Gallera De Cabatuan
9. Gallera De San Miguel
10. Gallera De Calinog
11. Gallera De Guimbal
12. Gallera De Pototan
13. Gallera De Dingle
14. Gallera De Passi
15. Gallera De San Joaquin
16. Gallera De Anilao
17. Gallera De Barotac Viejo
18. Gallera De Dumangas
1950s and the 1960's
Bulang derby in Iloilo City was made known through a public address system on board a jeepney that plied the city streets. Every time there was a derby in the city, most especially during the Jaro fiesta, bulangaficionados from Negros, particularly from Silay,
and from other parts of the country, would come and freely spend a liberal amount of money.
Because of the popularity of bulang, especially during the Fiesta de la Candelaria in Jaro, the idea of putting up a bigger bulangan to accommodate local aficionados and those coming from outside of Iloilo was raised by Dr. Modesto Guzman to Tinsay some time in the late 1950s. Tinsay agreed to the idea and money for the construction of the cockpit was raised through the
selling of stocks at P100 each.
Famous Ilongo Cockfighters
Jesry Palmares - Mayorof Passi City and owner of the JP Archangel Game Fowl Farm His blood-lines include his priced and prized Bobby Fairchild Greys, Larry Whitehead Greys, Cowans, Junior Belt Lines, Kelsos and Hatches.
Scene of Brutality and Animal Welfare
Cockfighting is banned in 50 states in the United States of America , Australia and Europe due to presense of strong activist for Animal Welfare.
""The Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act would make it a federal offense to knowingly attend an organized animal fight and would impose additional penalties for bringing children to animal fights"
When Americans arrived , they were fascinated of this Ilongos game being brand-new to them. They documented it by taking photo. ( Photo left).
Post-World War II - It's Persistence
At least three bulangans or cockpits was operating in Iloilo City.
1. Arena located in Jaro, near the railway station, and was associated with Cesar Ledesma and Felicito Araneta.
2. Arena in Jalandoni St. owned by Amador Araneta and managed by Cecilio Hechanova.
3. Arena in Lapaz owned by Peping Locsin and a certain Hosillos. This particular bulangan was, for some time, managed by Chito Tinsay, a very familiar name in the business of
cockfighting.
Other Cockpit Arena were built such as those in
1. Gallera De Oton
2. Gallera De Santa Barbara
3. Gallera De Leganes
4. Gallera De Banate
6. Gallera De Barotac Nuevo
7. Gallera De Ajuy
8. Gallera De Cabatuan
9. Gallera De San Miguel
10. Gallera De Calinog
11. Gallera De Guimbal
12. Gallera De Pototan
13. Gallera De Dingle
14. Gallera De Passi
15. Gallera De San Joaquin
16. Gallera De Anilao
17. Gallera De Barotac Viejo
18. Gallera De Dumangas
1950s and the 1960's
Bulang derby in Iloilo City was made known through a public address system on board a jeepney that plied the city streets. Every time there was a derby in the city, most especially during the Jaro fiesta, bulangaficionados from Negros, particularly from Silay,
and from other parts of the country, would come and freely spend a liberal amount of money.
Because of the popularity of bulang, especially during the Fiesta de la Candelaria in Jaro, the idea of putting up a bigger bulangan to accommodate local aficionados and those coming from outside of Iloilo was raised by Dr. Modesto Guzman to Tinsay some time in the late 1950s. Tinsay agreed to the idea and money for the construction of the cockpit was raised through the
selling of stocks at P100 each.
Famous Ilongo Cockfighters
Jesry Palmares - Mayorof Passi City and owner of the JP Archangel Game Fowl Farm His blood-lines include his priced and prized Bobby Fairchild Greys, Larry Whitehead Greys, Cowans, Junior Belt Lines, Kelsos and Hatches.
Scene of Brutality and Animal Welfare
Cockfighting is banned in 50 states in the United States of America , Australia and Europe due to presense of strong activist for Animal Welfare.
""The Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act would make it a federal offense to knowingly attend an organized animal fight and would impose additional penalties for bringing children to animal fights"
Iloilo Coliseum - Worlds Biggest Cockpit
In 1966, the Iloilo Coliseum in the Jaro District was established as corporation. . Chito
Tinsay was elected as President and General Manager of the coliseum, while Dr.
Guzman was chosen as the first Chairman . He had visited many cockpits in other parts of the Philippines, as far as Baguio in the north and Mindanao in the south. He overseered the construction of the structure. It is world biggest Cockpit with 50m x 50m in size and is registered in the name of the Iloilo Sportsmen, Inc.Its parking space can accommodate a large number of cars and during the Candelaria, an open space is also made available by its owner to take in more cars for a modest fee. . The overall management was put in the hands of the Board of Directors. At present, there are about 300 stockholders of the Iloilo Coliseum from Iloilo and Negros.
Iloilo Coliseum - cock derby during Candelaria Fiesta every February 2 of the year fame have reached far and wide . It is here where cockfighting aficionados from all over the Philippines
and other parts of the world converged. You are not a true cockfight aficionado
not unless you have gone to the Iloilo Coliseum. Purportedly , rules of cockfighting had developed in the Coliseum and that “Manila must have patterned their cockfighting rules from Jaro. Cockfighting enthusiast dreams is to have " Candelaria King" coveted title.
Iloilo Colisem has greatly contributed to the revenues of the city, to charities and to the popularity of the Jaro fiesta