TRIVIA: COCKFIGHTING
Cockfighting is deeply ingrained in Filipino culture. It existed before Spanish times and persisted throughout the centuries despite all attempts to ban it or banish it. Sabong, as it is known in  Tagalog, is a national pastime that knows no social distinctions. Not a sport for the faint-headed, it pits two roosters of comparable weight that fight each other until one is killed or turns tail and flees. The bout is usually brief and bloody. Razor-sharp spurs called tadi are attached to the birds' legs. With neck feathers ruffled, the birds dance around each other, testing each other's strength. There's a swish of blades and swirl of feathers, roars rise from the gallery, and in a few minutes it's all over. If both birds are still alive after ten minutes of skirmishing, the bout is declared a draw. Sometimes special matches called carambolas are also held, where five or more birds are placed in the arena at the same time to fight it out until only one remains. Special fights, called derbies, have purses ranging from US$10,000 to $170,000.
Every cockfighter has his own method of training his birds, some claiming to use secret formulas and special diets. It is even said that game cocks eat better than most people. In rural areas you will see proud owners and trainers fondling their birds under the crook of their arm. Gamecocks are imported or bought from local breeder in Cavite , Negros and Iloilo .
There are over one thousand cockpits, or galleras in the country. They vary in size and sophistication, but the basic design is the same, consisting of the pit proper surrounded by a grill or fence where the game cocks fight, and around it tiers of benches. Ringside seats are the most expensive.
Cockfighting, like horse racing, has specialist bookies and touts. Bets can go as high as Php 500,000 and are paid immediately after each fight. It is said that houses, land titles, jewelry, and car registrations have been wagered at cockfights and gaming tables.
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