BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
Netizens are bashing the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod for passing a resolution endorsing the request of a cockpit manager to hold cockfighting in the city.
They said that the government has been imposing a lot of restrictions like prohibiting religious activities but the Bacolod officials are allowing gambling like cockfighting during a pandemic.
During its regular session on Wednesday, the Bacolod SP passed a resolution “favorably endorsing to the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) the request of Ricardo Noble of the New Negros Coliseum to allow them to hold cockfighting activities in Bacolod City subject to the health protocols imposed by the national IATF”.
Authored by Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairman of the SP Committee on Ways and Means, the resolution stated that the SP believes that cockfighting activities will help those employed in the cockfighting industry.
Councilor Dindo Ramos said it is up to the NIATF whether or not to allow cockfighting, but under its guidelines, all leisure and amusement places are allowed during the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).
Bacolod City is now under GCQ.
Ramos said the cockpit operators committed to comply with all the health protocols set by the NIATF.
He pointed out that the cock breeding industry is next to the sugar industry in Negros Occidental and he sees nothing wrong with it if the cockpit operators make their sentiments known to the NIATF.
Ramos believes that they are doing their constituents a service if the NIATF will listen to their pleas as a large number of people are dependent on cockfighting as their means of livelihood.*
