MALACAANG Manila PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No.

449 May 9, 1974 COCKFIGHTING LAW OF 1974 WHEREAS, cockfighting has been and still is a popular, traditional and customary form of recreation and entertainment among Filipinos during legal holidays, local fiestas, agricultural, commercial and industrial fairs, carnivals or e positions! WHEREAS, by reason of the aforestated meaning and connotation of cockfighting in relation to filipino customs and traditions, it should neither be e ploited as an ob"ect of commercialism or business enterprise, nor made a tool of uncontrolled gambling, but more as a vehicle for the preservation and perpetuation of native Filipino heritage and thereby enhance our national identity# $%W, &HEREF%RE, ', FER('$A$( E# MAR)%S, *resident of the *hilippines, by virtue of the po+ers vested in me by the )onstitution, do hereby decree and order to be part of the la+s of the land, the follo+ing, Sec -# &itle# &his (ecree shall be kno+n as the .)ockfighting /a+ of -012.# Sec !o" #. Scope# &his la+ shall govern the establishment, operation, maintenance and o+nership of cockpits# Sec !o" $. (eclaration of *olicy# 't is hereby declared a policy of the government to insure +ithin the frame+ork of the $e+ Society ma imum development and promotion of +holesome recreation and amusement to bring about the follo+ing goals, 3a4 &o effectively control and regulate cockfighting to+ards its establishment as a national recreation, rela ation and source of entertainment! 3b4 &o provide additional revenue for our tourism program! and 3c4 &o remove and prevent e cessive and unreasonable business operation and profit considerations in the management of cockpits and, instead preserve *hilippine customs and traditions and thereby enhance our national identity# Sec !o" 4. (efinition of &erms# As used in this la+, the follo+ing terms shall be understood, applied and construed as follo+s, 3a4 )ockfighting shall embrace and mean the commonly kno+n game or term .cockfighting derby, pintakasi or tupada., or its e5uivalent terms in different *hilippine localities#

3b4 6oning /a+ or %rdinance Either both national or local city or municipal legislation +hich logically arranges, prescribes, defines and apportions a given political subdivision into specific land uses as present and future pro"ection of needs +arrant# 3c4 7et &aker of *romoter A person +ho calls and takes care of bets from o+ners of both gamecocks and those of other bettors before he orders commencement of the cockfight and thereafter distributes +on bets to the +inners after deducting a certain commission# 3d4 8affer 3&aga &ari4 A person kno+ledgeable in the art of arming fighting cocks +ith gaff or gaffs on either or both legs# 3e4 Referee 3Sentenciador4 A person +ho +atches and oversees the proper gaffing of fighting cocks, determines the physical condition of fighting cocks +hile cockfighting is in progress, the in"uries sustained by the cocks and their capability to continue fighting and decides and make kno+n his decision by +ork or gestures and result of the cockfight by announcing the +inner or declaring a tie or no contest game# 3f4 7ettor A person +ho participates in cockfights and +ith the use of money or other things of value, bets +ith other bettors or through the bet taker or promoter and +ins or loses his bet depending upon the result of the cockfight as announced by the Referee or Sentenciador# He may be the o+ner of fighting cock# Sec !o" %. )ockpits and )ockfighting, 'n 8eneral, 3a4 %+nership, %peration and Management of )ockpits# %nly Filipino citi9ens not other+ise inhibited by e isting la+s shall be allo+ed to o+n, manage and operate cockpits# )ooperative capitali9ation is encouraged# 3b4 Establishment of )ockpits# %nly one cockpit shall be allo+ed in each city or municipality, e cept that in cities or municipalities +ith a population of over one hundred thousand, t+o cockpits may be established, maintained and operated# 3c4 )ockpits Site and )onstruction# )ockpits shall be constructed and operated +ithin the appropriate areas as prescribed in 6oning /a+ or %rdinance# 'n the absence of such la+ or ordinance, the local e ecutives shall see to it that no cockpits are constructed +ithin or near e isting residential or commercial areas, hospitals, school buildings, churches or other public buildings# %+ners, lessees, or operators of cockpits +hich are no+ in e istence and do not conform to this re5uirement are given three years from the date of effectivity of this (ecree to comply here+ith# Approval or issuance of building permits for the construction of cockpits shall be made by the city or provincial engineer in accordance +ith their respective building codes, ordinances or engineering la+s and practices# 3d4 Holding of )ockfights# E cept as provided in this (ecree, cockfighting shall be allo+ed only in licensed cockpits during Sundays and legal holidays and during local fiestas for not more than three days# 't may also be held during provincial, city or municipal, agricultural, commercial or industrial fair, carnival or e position for a similar period of three days upon resolution of the

province, city or municipality +here such fair, carnival or e position is to be held, sub"ect to the approval of the )hief of )onstabulary or his authori9ed representative, *rovided, that, no cockfighting on the occasion of such fair, carnival or e position shall be allo+ed +ithin the month of a local fiesta or for more than t+o occasions a year in the same city or municipality, *rovided, further, that no cockfighting shall be held on (ecember :; 3Ri9al (ay4, <une -= 3*hilippine 'ndependence (ay4 $ovember :; 3$ational Heroes (ay4, Holy &hursday, 8ood Friday, Election or Referendum (ay and during Registration (ays for such election or referendum# 3e4 )ockfighting for Entertainment of &ourists or for )haritable *urposes# Sub"ect to the preceding subsection hereof, the )hief )onstabulary or his authori9ed representative may also allo+ the holding of cockfighting for the entertainment of foreign dignitaries or for tourists, or for returning Filipinos, commonly kno+n as .7alikbayan., or for the support of national fund> raising campaigns for charitable purposes as may be authori9ed by the %ffice of the *resident, upon resolution of a provincial board, city or municipal council, in licensed cockpits or in playgrounds or parks, *rovided, that this privilege shall be e tended for only one time, for a period not e ceeding three days, +ithin a year to a province, city, or municipality# 3f4 %ther games during cockfights prescribed# $o gambling of any kind shall be permitted on the premises of the cockpit or place of cockfighting during cockfights# &he o+ner, manager or lessee off such cockpit and the violators of this in"unction shall be criminally liable under Section ? hereof# Sec !o" &. /icensing of )ockpits# )ity and municipal mayors are authori9ed to issue licenses for the operation and maintenance of cockpits sub"ect to the approval of the )hief of )onstabulary or his authori9ed representatives# For this purpose, ordinances may be promulgated for the imposition and collection of ta es and fees not e ceeding the rates fi ed under Section -:, paragraphs 3a4 and 3b4! and -0! paragraph 3g4 -@ of *residential (ecree $o# =:-, dated <une =?, -01:, other+ise kno+n as the /ocal &a )ode, as amended# Sec !o" 7. )ockfighting %fficials# 8affers, referees or bet takers or promoters shall not act as such in any cockfight herein authori9ed, +ithout first securing a license rene+able every year on their birthmonth from the city or municipality +here such cockfighting is held# )ities and municipalities may charge a ta of not more than t+enty pesos# %nly licensed gaffers, referees, bet takers or promoters shall officiate in all kinds of cockfighting authori9ed in this (ecree# Sec !o" '. *enal *rovisions# Any violation of the provisions of this (ecree and of the rules and regulations promulgated by the )hief of )onstabulary pursuant thereto shall be punished as follo+s, a# 7y prision correccional in its ma imum period and a fine of t+o thousand pesos, +ith subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency, +hen the offender is the financer, o+ner, manger or operator of cockpit, or the gaffer, referee or bet taker in cockfights! or the offender is guilty of allo+ing, promoting or participating in any other kind of gambling in the premises of cockfights during cockfights#

b# 7y prision correccional or a fine of not less than si hundred pesos nor more than t+o thousand pesos or both, such imprisonment and fine at the discretion of the court, +ith subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency, in case of any other offender# Sec !o" 9. Repealing )lause# &he provisions of Section ==?A and ==?@ of the Revised *enal )ode, Republic Act $o# 02@, all la+s, decrees, rules and regulations, or orders +hich are inconsistent +ith this (ecree are hereby repealed or modified accordingly# Sec !o" 1(. (ate of Effectivity# &his (ecree shall take effect after fifteen 3-A4 days follo+ing the completion of the publication in the %fficial 8a9ette# (one in the )ity of Manila, this 0th day of May, in the year of %ur /ord, nineteen hundred and seventy>four#