My First Cockfight in the Philippines — And Why I Was So Uncomfortable

I went to my first cockfight in the Philippines, even though I knew I was uncomfortable with it — and here’s what I learned from seeing it firsthand. I’ll give you a taste of the experience watching cockfighting in the Philippines: inside a Filipino Sabong.

How cockfighting in the Philippines works

Cockfights in the Philippines are called “Sabong” when they’re legal. They’re called  “tupada” if it’s an illegal cock fight. I went on the island of Bohol, in the Philippines. It’s as brutal as you might imagine – truly inhumane.

I found so many aspects surprising – starting with that the cocks get a blade to fight with.

Sabong – cockfighting in the Philippines

Two roosters battle until death, or can’t fight anymore. These gamecocks are specifically bred their entire life for these fights. Each cock has a razor sharp blade (“gaff”) that’s 2-3″ long attached to their left leg. They’re fenced in a cockpit, and there’s a referee that seems to have exclusive authority on when to call a winner.

People gather around the fenced cockpit cheer the cock that they’ve just bet on. And as you’ll notice from the below video clip, the betting is frantic!

When I went, a guy standing next to us during the fight was telling us how the next fight on the card would be a good one, since both owners are known to raise birds that are tormented into significant aggression. He was visibly excited as he mentioned this..

The cockfighting ends when one rooster dies, or is too weak or exhausted to fight.

Gamecock battle scars — Rooster with gaff slices across its body

Travel includes cultural discovery (even when it makes you uncomfortable)

When I travel, I want to better understand the culture of a country, and that includes parts of it that I’m not necessarily comfortable with. Watching cockfighting certainly fit into that category.

I was intrigued as a traveler, but morally conflicted at the same time. The idea of deliberately breeding animals to fight, attaching a razor-sharp blade to their legs, and watching them fight to the death seemed brutal to me. I even hesitated to write this post because I don’t want to encourage more cockfighting or make it sound like something tourists should seek out.

But it is also a long-standing part of Filipino culture, and seeing it firsthand gave me a better understanding of why the event is so important to some of the people who attend.

The crowd absolutely loved it.

What surprised me at the cockfight

That was one of the things I found most surprising. People weren’t watching reluctantly or treating it as some strange spectacle. They were invested in this Filipino Sabong. I guess I should have assumed, but it’s different when you see it firsthand. Some people seemed to know the reputations of particular roosters and their owners, while others appeared to make a snap judgment about which bird they wanted to back. The betting was frantic, and the energy around the cockpit was unmistakable.

Moral conflicts of cockfighting in the Philippines

It made me think about my own reaction to sports.

I cheer for my New York Jets, after all. I also watch boxing and UFC, where grown men voluntarily hit each other hard enough to cause significant injuries — and people in the crowd cheer them on. Those athletes train for it, just as these gamecocks are bred and trained for cockfighting in the Philippines. I’m not saying the two are morally equivalent, but the comparison did make me question where I draw my own line.

I still found cockfighting disturbing. Watching the aftermath was particularly difficult. But I also came away understanding why the people around me found the event exciting. If you can separate yourself from the brutality of what is happening, the atmosphere, competition, betting and anticipation create a surprisingly intense sporting environment.

That doesn’t make me comfortable with cockfighting. But part of the reason I travel is to encounter things that challenge my assumptions — including things I would rather not see.

Cockfighting in the Philippines wasn’t an experience I expected to enjoy — and I certainly didn’t enjoy the violence. But it was a fascinating glimpse into a part of Filipino culture that I would never have understood by simply reading about it.

You might be surprised to learn that I actually loved my time in the Philippines.
I had so many awesome experiences. I loved going Whale Shark Snorkeling . Don’t listen to the naysayers; Boracay wasn’t too touristy