DAILYJILI Bitaw: What It Is and How It Differs from a Fight
In cockpit usage a bitaw is a sparring or practice bout between gamefowl, used for conditioning and for judging a bird, with no blade fitted and no wagering.
Key facts and contents
- DAILYJILI Doblado
- In cockpit usage doblado is a two-to-one call: the backer of the favoured bird, the llamado, puts up double what the backer of the other bird, the dehado, puts up.
- DAILYJILI Fighting Cock
- In a published set of derby rules a cock is a matured rooster past its first annual molt, a stag is a young rooster of twelve months or younger, and a bullstag is a stag older than twelve months.
- DAILYJILI History of Sabong
- The earliest account on this page is Pigafetta's, from the 1521 voyage, describing tame cocks made to fight for a stake.
- DAILYJILI Larga
- Larga, from Spanish largar, to let go, is the cockpit call at which both birds are released and the fight is under way.
- DAILYJILI Parehas Explained
- In a licensed cockpit, parehas is an even call: both sides put up the same amount, so whoever wins collects what they staked, less the bet taker's commission.
- DAILYJILI Pusta Meaning
- Pusta is Tagalog for a bet or stake; the KWF dictionary glosses it as taya.
E-sabong operations have been suspended nationwide since 2022 under Executive Order No. 9, signed 28 December 2022 by President Marcos Jr. A bitaw is a different matter from an e-sabong stream: in cockpit usage it is a sparring or practice bout between gamefowl, used for conditioning and for judging a bird, with no blade fitted and no wagering. This page defines the word and sets it beside a fight in a licensed cockpit under Presidential Decree 449.
What a bitaw means in cockpit usage
The word has an everyday dictionary entry that has nothing to do with cockpits. The KWF online dictionary gives two senses: the release of something that was being held back, and a going away or leaving behind. Neither mentions gamefowl, so the cockpit meaning is usage, passed on by the people who keep birds, not a dictionary definition.
The three meanings, kept apart:
- KWF sense 1: the release of something that was being held back.
- KWF sense 2: a going away or leaving behind.
- Cockpit usage: a sparring or practice bout between gamefowl, with no blade fitted and no wagering.
In that usage a bitaw is a short practice match. Nothing is put on it, and no blade is fitted to the bird. Its two stated purposes are conditioning the bird and judging it, that is, seeing how it moves and responds before deciding what to do with it.
Bitaw and a licensed fight, side by side
A licensed fight is the cockfighting the law regulates. The bitaw column reflects the usage above; the right-hand column reflects the decree’s own text and a published set of derby rules.
| Feature | Bitaw (cockpit usage) | Fight in a licensed cockpit |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Conditioning the bird and judging it | A match on whose result bets are laid |
| Blade | None fitted | The bird is armed with a tari or gaff by a gaffer |
| Wagering | None | Bets taken through a bet taker or promoter; the bettor wins or loses on the referee’s announced result |
| Where the decree places it | Not described in Presidential Decree 449 | Only in licensed cockpits (Section 5(d)) |
| Officials | None named in the decree | Licensed gaffers, referees and bet takers (Section 7) |
| Days | Not addressed by the decree | Sundays, legal holidays and local fiestas, three days at most (Section 5(d)) |
The decree’s Section 4 defines the officials named in the right-hand column. The gaffer arms fighting cocks with a gaff or gaffs, the referee watches the gaffing and the condition of the birds, and the bet taker or promoter calls and takes care of bets.
Why the difference matters under the 2022 order
Executive Order No. 9 suspends the live-streaming of live cockfights outside cockpits and online or off-cockpit betting on them. It says operations of traditional cockfights authorized or licensed under existing laws are not covered. | Activity | Named in Section 1 of the order? | |---|---| | Live-streaming a live cockfight outside the cockpit | Yes, suspended | | Online or off-cockpit betting on a live-streamed cockfight | Yes, suspended | | Traditional cockfight licensed under existing laws | Yes, not covered by the suspension | | A sparring or practice bout | Not named |
The licensed fight and the bitaw therefore sit on different sides of the law’s definitions: one is a licensed event with a decree behind it, and the other is a practice session that the decree does not describe.
The text of Presidential Decree 449 is the place to check how the law treats any particular situation. This page gives a vocabulary definition, not a legal opinion, and it does not describe how to hold a bout of any kind. For the rest of the vocabulary, the page on what makes a fighting cock in the rule books defines cock, stag and bullstag.
How to read the other sources
- Read Section 1 of the order itself for what is suspended and what is spared. The page on Executive Order 9 and its scope sets it out in tables.
- Read Sections 4 to 8 of the decree for the officials, the days and the penalties.
- Read the printed record behind the tradition in the history of sabong sources.
FAQ
What does bitaw mean?
In cockpit usage it means a sparring or practice bout between gamefowl, used for conditioning and for judging a bird, with no blade fitted and no wagering. The KWF online dictionary lists two other senses of the word, releasing something that was held back and a going away or leaving behind, and neither is about cockpits.
Is a bitaw the same as a fight in a licensed cockpit?
No. A fight in a licensed cockpit is the cockfighting Presidential Decree 449 regulates: it is held in a licensed cockpit, the birds are armed, licensed officials oversee it and bets are taken. A bitaw, as the word is used, has no blade and no wagering.
Does Executive Order 9 apply to a bitaw?
The order suspends two things: live-streaming of live cockfights outside cockpits and online or off-cockpit betting on live cockfights. It spares traditional cockfights licensed under existing laws. Read Section 1 of the order for the exact wording.
Can I watch or bet on a bitaw online?
This page does not say where to watch or bet on any bout. E-sabong has been suspended nationwide since 2022, and the order covers live-streaming outside the cockpit and remote betting on live cockfights.