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We wonder why it has taken this long for the Alyansa
ng Sabungero to seek party-list status and congressional
representation. The cockpit workers belong to one of the oldest
occupations in the country but conditions of life and work have
hardly improved.
Critics are wrong to say that the
major heirs of sectoral representation are the wealthy cockers and
cockpit owners. For every gambler, there are scores of kristo,
sentenciador, casador, mananari, largador, matchmakers, takilyador
and backyard breeders who depend for a living on betting money and
on the tahor they work for winning and making a bundle.
Cockfight toilers claim a
national constituency because a cockpit inhabits almost every city
and major municipality. It is not known what cause—apart from
improving their lot—the sabong workers will espouse in Congress.
They might ask for a bigger share of the winnings and the losing
cocks.
We heard the party would have for
its motto, “Karangalan at Kaunlaran,” because cockfighting has a
strong code of honor. Every player honors his bet; nobody cheats.
The Alyansa said it hopes to infect the congressmen with its
tradition of honesty.
A strong caucus is expected to
lobby for the group—sportsmen like Chavit Singson, Peping
Cojuangco, Ronnie Puno, Manny Pacquiao and Jun Santiago, among
others. Many congressmen breed gamecocks and gamble a lot. National
Artist Anding Roces, who has chronicled life in the cockpit, could
be expected to write the group’s manifesto.
The entry of alyansa is one of
the good news in the party-list scene. We heard the community of
artists—writers, painters, composers and others—has applied for
membership. They claim Malacañang has marginalized them. They claim
under-representation in the boards of the Cultural Center of the
Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts as
well as the Appeals Committee in the Palace.
The Comelec commissioners, some
senators, opinion writers and other kibitzers find the Alyansa move
amusing and the fact that more than 250 groups have applied for
accreditation. They should re-read the Party-List Act which says
that the state shall promote representation for marginalized and
underrepresented Pinoys who could contribute to the drafting and
passage of laws that will benefit the nation.
What is good for the cockpit
workers could be good for the country. And that goes for the other
threatened sectors—like the jueteng collectors, mistresses,
smokers, gays, prisoners, call-center workers and housemaids—who
are integral to society and who deserve a voice in the important
task of lawmaking.
Boxing enters the language
The recent triumphs of world
champions Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire remind us about the
gifts of boxing to the English and Filipino languages.
We begin with US President Barack
Obama on July 30 paying his guest, President Gloria Arroyo, this
compliment “ . . . although the Philippines is not the largest of
countries it, in using a phrase from boxing, punches above its
weight in the international arena, and we are grateful that
President Arroyo has visited us here today . . . ”
Mrs. Arroyo could not find an
appropriate boxing phrase in her response, but she could have
replied: “Thank you, Mr. President. The Philippines, as you know,
is considered, pound-for-pound, the best ally of your country in
Asia. I am very pleased to share this ring with you, together with
my principal handlers . . . ”
Not long afterward, Donaire won
the WBA super flyweight championship by a unanimous decision, Mark
Jason Melligen TKO’d his opponent but Bernabe Concepcion was
disqualified for hitting on the break. Many are the ways to win or
lose a fight, in sports or in politics.
In this corner, overweight Erap
Estrada comes out of retirement to retake the championship crown. He
comes out swinging not against Gibo “The Kid” Teodoro, the
presumed administration bet, but against opposition contenders.
The opposition needs to unify all
division titles to choose an official challenger. Is it Mar “The
Best Man” Roxas with his peek-a-boo style, or Manny “Sipag at
Tiyaga” Villar with his fancy footwork? Will it be Chiz
“Totoy” Escudero who can pack a wallop? The women’s division,
by the way, expects a showdown between Jamby “Judy Ann” Madrigal
and Loren “Topnotcher” Legarda.
Manager and trainer Glo Arroyo is
seen to be telegraphing her punches because of a perception that she
is pushing Charter change. Most of her wards are shadow-punching
because no one knows who will answer the bell when the campaign
starts. Noli “Hele-hele” de Castro hasn’t signed up with her
stable. Bayani “The Pink Panther ” Fernando is afraid the
Lakas-Kampi kingmakers might come out with a hometown decision.
Teodoro is ready and says he will pass the weigh-in on the appointed
time.
Boxing has also enriched the
national language, too. We shout “Tapos na ang boksing,” to
indicate that a fight is over. The law is “na-teknikal” when it
loses a case through a stupid mistake.
Currently, politics is a flurry
of blows, with too much holding, and most contenders appearing punch
drunk. We’re afraid the fight will go the distance. That will
surely give us s black eye. 
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