Cockfighting

Cockfighting in the Philippines may be likened to bullfighting in Spain, in the sense that it is an acquired taste and that seeing pictures or videos is not enough; it has to be experienced. If you are in Puerto Galera, you have plenty of opportunities to experience this event.

The best place to see cockfighting in Puerto Galera is at nearby Calapan. To get to Calapan most use the car ferry, which depart regularly (every two hours). The cost begins at 1,700 Php and will cost more depending on the vehicle type. This fee includes one passenger, and for additional ones there is an additional charge of 175 Php.

Cockfighting in Calapan

Although there may be a few local competitions in Puerto Galera, it is in Calapan that most of the action is located. The cost of the ticket will depend entirely on the type of event (the bigger the more expensive). You will have an idea of the charge by asking one of the locals, because when a big derby is scheduled, almost everyone is aware of it.

Once you are inside the venue, the cockfighting in Puerto Galera is, in terms of atmosphere, one of excitement and fervor. Betting is allowed, and there will be someone who will be collecting the bets and wagers from the audience. The competitors too will have placed bets on their respective cocks.

The Cockpit

The actual area where the cockfighting takes place is called the cockpit. The creatures have been trained for weeks for the event and are armed with razor sharp blades. As the cocks do battle in the pit, expect the roar and cheers from the crowd to intensify. The battle ends either when one of the cocks is unable to continue, or is dead. After the match the bets are collected and the next match takes place. There are numerous matches that take place, especially the big derbies, where even more money is at stake.

That cockfighting in Puerto Galera is very popular should really come as no surprise for students of Philippine history, because as early as the 1830s, it was being reported by the Spaniards that the sport was being avidly followed and engaged in by Filipinos from all over the archipelago. Exactly when it originated is unknown but it has become something of a national pastime.

Cockfighting in Puerto Galera is not just one more local event or curiosity; behind all the frenzied atmosphere of the crowds, one will also get a sense of how much it has become part of the Filipino culture, and how deeply embedded it has become in the national psyche.