DAILYJILI Fighting Cock: What Stag, Bullstag and Cock Mean
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.
Key facts and contents
- DAILYJILI Bitaw
- 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.
- 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 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. This page covers a vocabulary question only: what a fighting cock is in the rule books, and how stag, cock and bullstag differ. It names no breed or bloodline, because the saved rules and orders define the bird by age, maturity and purpose rather than by line.
Fighting cock, stag and bullstag in a published set of derby rules
A published set of derby rules opens with a definition of terms. Three of its entries sort the birds by age. The rules say these terms are there so that participants share a common understanding of the words in common use in sabong.
| Term | Definition in a published set of derby rules | Distinguishing feature |
|---|---|---|
| Cock | A matured rooster that has already undergone its first annual molt, pugnacious by nature, bred and trained to upgrade its capability to fight | Past its first annual molt |
| Stag | A young rooster twelve (12) months of age or younger | Twelve months or under |
| Bullstag | A stag more than twelve (12) months of age, the stage between stag and cock | Over twelve months, before it becomes a cock |
A note under the entries reads that, unless otherwise qualified, the use of the term cock also includes stag and bullstag. When a rule says a cock must meet a requirement, it normally covers all three.
What the Department of Agriculture and PD 449 call the bird
Department of Agriculture Administrative Order No. 23, series of 2002, sets the rules for importing gamefowl. Its definitions give the legal wording the vocabulary pages rely on.
- Gamefowl: any chicken of the type, breed or strain of domesticated chicken, the males of which are principally raised for cockfighting, with eggs of such fowl counted as gamefowl.
- Cockfighting: a competition, game or derby, or its equivalent terms in different Philippine localities, where two gamecocks with sharp or pointed spur are pitted to death.
- Cockpit: a duly licensed and registered arena where cockfighting competitions are regularly held.
Presidential Decree 449 uses the phrase fighting cocks in its definitions of the gaffer and the referee. The gaffer, or taga tari, is “knowledgeable in the art of arming fighting cocks with gaff or gaffs on either or both legs”. The referee, or sentenciador, determines the physical condition of the fighting cocks, the injuries sustained and their capability to continue fighting.
What the tari is and where the bird fights
The KWF online dictionary defines the tari as a slender-bladed implement fitted to the leg of a bird that is to fight. A published set of derby rules defines a cockfight, also called a sultada, as a fight between two cocks armed with knives (tari) on whose result bets are laid. The same rules define a cockpit, also called sabungan or gallera, as the venue of cockfighting.
| Word | Meaning in the source | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tari | Slender-bladed implement fitted to the leg of a bird that is to fight | KWF online dictionary |
| Cockfight / sultada | A fight between two cocks armed with knives (tari), bets laid on the result | Published derby rules |
| Cockpit / sabungan / gallera | The venue of cockfighting | Published derby rules |
| Gaff | Weapon the gaffer fits to either or both legs of a fighting cock | Presidential Decree 449, Section 4(d) |
Under Presidential Decree 449 Section 5(d), cockfighting is allowed only in licensed cockpits on Sundays, legal holidays and local fiestas for not more than three days, with a three-day allowance for fairs and expositions. The 2022 order spares those licensed fights from its suspension, and the page on Executive Order 9 and the cockpit rules sets out how.
Where to go next
The words around a fight describe the bet, not the bird.
- For how an even match is called, read what parehas means in a cockpit.
- For how the tradition is recorded, read the history of sabong in print.
- For what is suspended today, read the order itself on lawphil.net.
FAQ
What is the difference between a stag and a cock?
In a published set of derby rules, a stag is a young rooster twelve months of age or younger, and a cock is a matured rooster that has already undergone its first annual molt. A bullstag is a stag more than twelve months old, the stage between the two.
Does the word cock in the rules include a stag?
That set of derby rules adds a note that, unless otherwise qualified, the term cock also includes stag and bullstag. So a rule that says cock usually covers all three.
What does the law call a bird bred for cockfighting?
Department of Agriculture Administrative Order No. 23 of 2002 defines gamefowl as any chicken of a domesticated type, breed or strain whose males are principally raised for cockfighting, eggs included. Presidential Decree 449 uses the terms fighting cocks and gamecocks for the birds themselves.
Are any breeds or bloodlines named on this page?
No. The saved rule books and orders define the bird by age, maturity and purpose and name no breed, so this page names none either. If you need breeding rules, read the registration provisions of the DA order itself.
Does this page say where to watch or bet on a fight?
No. E-sabong has been suspended nationwide since 2022 under Executive Order No. 9, and this page only defines terms found in the rule books.