(Businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang (right) and Eric Dela Rosa pose with their birds during the press conference of the World Pitmasters Cup at the Resorts World on Friday. Photo by Ashley Manabat)
MANILA – All is set for the second leg of the 9-cock international derby dubbed, World Pitmaster Cup (WPC) 2019, at the Resorts World here from April 21 to 30.
Leading the announcement last Friday at the Grand Wing of the Resorts World was businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang who was joined by WPC’s Eric Dela Rosa and Gerry Ramos during the press conference.
Some 303 entries in the derby have already been confirmed as of press time. “But more are expected to join,” Ramos said.
However, Ang said foreign entries may not join the second leg of the WPC derby since “most birds are moulting at this time” and the breeders are busy.
But Dela Rosa said the derby would still be a highly anticipated event.
Meanwhile, Ang disclosed that they are now in the process of organizing all cockfighting arenas in the Philippines in order to make their employees reap government benefits like medical care, social security and welfare, housing and others.
“Lahat pati nasa probinsya pagsasamahin natin kung papano matutulungan ang ibang mga sabongero pa (All, even those in the provinces, we will include them so that we can find out how we can still help the other cockfighters),” Ang said.
He said his group, composed of Agusan Del Sur Gov. Eddiebong Plaza, RJ Mea, Engr. Sonny Lagon, Ramos and himself, formed the WPC not for profi t but to put things in order and help the breeders.
Ang said, “since we started organizing this three years ago, the breeders now have been proliferating.”
He added that even feed mills and laboratories have been benefitting from the organized WPC which has also resulted in the upgrade of the birds that is why everything now is high-tech and nobody can dominate anymore.
Ang also said they are continuously caring for cockpit workers by giving them free medical care, chemotherapy and dialysis.
“Continuous ang tulong namin sa kanila (We continuously help them),” he said.
Ang said his group also responds to calamity-stricken areas by bringing much needed basic necessities. “The profits that we generate, we give back to the people,” he said.
