Even before the colonization of Spain, cockfighting has always been a Filipino tradition. It was the Spaniards, however, who legalized the “sport” for the purpose of charging taxes on it. The “sport” has been borrowed from Mexico and England where it started as a game for kings.

Even with the morality issue of cockfighting, it has become rooted in the Filipino culture, as evidenced by the men who long for that big Sunday to come. Some regard it as a form of a gamble while some see it as some kind of a positive sport.

Cockfighting often happens on a Sunday in a place called buwangan (cockpit) where each person is charged with a P10 or more entrance fee. Cockfights held outside of a cockpit, called tigbakay is considered illegal and subject to punishment.

Inside the cockpit, there is the monton, where the fighting cocks are registered and the taparan area, where the cocks are matched according to their sizes or weight. The cocks are then placed in the rueda (arena) where they are made to fight in one sultada (one round lasting 10 minutes).

Attached to the left leg of each of the cocks is a spur blade. A critical part of the cock is its armpit where the heart is located and if it is pierced, the cock dies. The cockfight is declared over as soon as one of the cock dies or runs away. A practice called bihagay (which is a prior agreement between cock owners) permits the winner to own the loser (dead) cock. All the decisions made within the cockpit area are made by the queme (referee or the judge).

Betting inside the cockpit embodies some kind of an “unspoken trust” between the bettors. They do not need any handwritten evidence to ensure them of being paid. The threat of being mauled by a crowd of sabongeros is enough to frighten a would-be violator.

A man called kristo or masyador calls the bets and uses hand signals to communicate. He consequently gets 10% of the winning bet The name kristo is derived from the way he raises his arms when calling the bets - like Jesus Christ when he was nailed on the cross. Notably extraordinary about a kristo is that he takes the bets without the use of a paper and pen. However, in cases of errors, he pays from his own money.

The cock with the largest amount of bet is called the inilog, llamado, or mayroon while the cock with the lesser bet is called the biya or dejado. The amount of bets placed can reach any amount.

Derbies (cockfights held other than Sundays) where the biggest bets are made. In Cebu, the prize money can range from P50,000 to 6.5 million. Consequently, the cockpit owner charges a 10% fee taken from the total bet of the cock owner-bettor and charges a higher admission price for the sabongeros.

Like most, if not all, of the provinces in the Philppines, Cebu is home to a number cockpits and cockfights. There is total number of 58 cockpits in the whole province - one for each town and approximately two for each of the five cities. The most frequented and the most populated cockpits are the following: Floremer’s Sportsman Club in Banilad, Mandaue City; Galleria de Mandaue in Tabok, Mandaue City; Mandaue Coliseum; Capricorn in Lapulapu City; Talisay Sports Complex in Talisay; and Century Game Club in Banawa, Cebu City.